Academic Regulations

Academic Standards

Notwithstanding the Academic Standards policy outlined below, a student admitted with Conditional Admission or Provisional Admission status must meet the specified performance level within the time frame identified in the letter of admission or may not continue to enroll in University courses. Further, the Academic Standards policy inherently presumes the student will first meet satisfactorily any obligations or requirements specified in the letter of admission before the Academic Standards policy shall have any effect on the continuing enrollment of the student.

1. Good Standing: A graduate student admitted to a graduate degree or certificate program is in good standing whenever that student’s degree or certificate program grade point average is at least 3.0.
2. Warning:   Whenever the grade point average for any enrollment period is less than 3.0, but the degree program grade point average is 3.0 or above, the student will be warned.
3. Probation: If a student’s degree program grade point average falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on probation.
4. Extended Probation:  The student will be placed on Extended Probation when, following a semester on Probation, the student’s degree program grade point average is below 3.0 and the student’s grade point average for the enrollment period is 3.0 or above.
5. Final Probation: The student will be placed on Final Probation when, following a semester on Extended Probation, the student’s degree program grade point average is below 3.0 and the student’s grade point average for the enrollment period is 3.0 or above.
6. Probation Removed: When the conditions of Good Standing are restored, Probation will be removed.
7. Dismissal: Students on Probation or Extended Probation who fail to achieve at least a 3.0 grade point average for the enrollment period, or students on Final Probation who fail to achieve a 3.0 cumulative grade point average will be dismissed from the University.

• Dismissed students must apply for readmission through the normal admission process. The student will send a Readmission Application to the Admissions Office that, in turn, will forward the student’s Readmission Application to the program or academic unit admission body for decision on readmission.

Appeal Procedure: Upon appeal by the student, the program or academic unit admission body will determine whether to grant Extended Probation or Final Probation status. The status must be granted by the program or academic unit admission body in order for the student to register. The appeal must be initiated and the decision made by the program or unit prior to the subsequent semester’s last day to add classes.

Annual Review of Graduate Students

A graduate student’s academic performance, professional development, research progress, and, where applicable, professional/ethical behavior will be reviewed annually to determine the student’s eligibility to continue in the program. Annual review forms for doctoral and master’s students may be found on the Graduate College website forms page or programs may use their own forms. Upon the student’s initial enrollment in a graduate certificate, master’s, specialist, or doctoral program, the department shall provide a document to the graduate student outlining its annual review criteria and procedures. The review will assist the student in measuring timely progress toward completion of the program of study and in providing documentation for awards or assistantships or, if deficiencies are apparent, note them and indicate corrections necessary within a specifies period of time. Uncorrected deficiencies and/or unsatisfactory progress, performance, or behavior may result in a student’s dismissal from the program. Best practice guidelines can be found under Annual Review at: www.wmich.edu/grad/forms.

Attendance

Students are responsible directly to their instructors for class and laboratory attendance, and for petitions to excuse absences. 

Course Grades and Grading System

A grade is given in each course in which a student registers. Grades are indicated by letters and assigned honor points as shown in the table below. Credit toward a degree program will be granted only for courses in which a grade of “C” or better is earned.

X - (Failure) Unofficial Withdrawal: The symbol “X” is used to indicate that a student has never attended class or has discontinued attendance and does not qualify for the grade of “I.”  The “X” will be computed into the student’s grade point average.

 I - Incomplete: This is a temporary grade which the instructor may give to a student when illness, necessary absence, or other reasons beyond the control of the student prevent completion of course requirements by the end of the semester or session.  The grade of “I” (Incomplete) may not be given as a substitute for a failing grade.

A grade of “I” must be removed by the instructor who gave it or, in exceptional circumstances, by the department chairperson.

Incomplete grades (except those given in Master’s Thesis 7000, Specialist Project 7200, and Doctoral Dissertation 7300, and courses directly related to them or identified by departments) will convert to an “X” if not removed within one calendar year, or sooner if so stipulated by the instructor. Students who receive an incomplete grade in a course must not re-register for the course in order to remove the “I”.

An instructor who assigns a grade of “I” will submit a Report of Incomplete Grade Form located on the faculty menu in GoWMU indicating the remaining requirement for removal of the incomplete grade and indicating the time allowed, if less than one full year.An e-mail will be automatically generated to the student, the Registrar’s Office as well as an e-mail confirmation sent to the instructor.

 W - Official Withdrawal: A grade of “W” is given in a course when a student officially withdraws from that course or from the University before the final withdrawal date in the semester or session.

 CR or NC - Credit or No Credit:  The Credit/No Credit grading system is used in all 7000-level courses, as well as some departmental courses approved by the University.  The student’s transcript will indicate “CR” when the grade received is an A, BA, or B; “I/NC” when incomplete; and “NC” when the grade received is a CB, C, DC, D, E, or X.

 AU - Audit: The symbol “AU” is used to indicate that a student has enrolled in a course as an auditor, has attended at least three-fourths of the class or laboratory sessions, and has given evidence to the course instructor that the role as auditor has been satisfactory. A student who registers for a graduate course as an auditor, with the permission of the instructor, is not eligible to sit for examinations, earns no credit hours for the registration, and pays full tuition. The student must enroll in the audit status at the time of registration, and may not be transferred from the audit status after the course has begun.

For 7000-level credits, grades of Credit (CR) or No Credit (NC) may be given, with departments held responsible for insuring that progress on the thesis/project/dissertation has in fact been made in any term for which the grade of Credit (CR) is given. The grade of No Credit (NC) will not affect a student’s over-all GPA, but it will stay on the record as an accurate representation of a student’s history in that term.

Because a transcript is to be an honest and accurate record of a student’s academic work, should a student receive a series of Credit (or even No Credit) grades for 7000, 7200, or 7300 and then decide not to complete that work, the enrollments and grades for 7000, 7200, or 7300 will remain on the transcript.

Theses and projects will still involve only six (6) completed credits. Dissertations will involve whatever number of completed credits is stipulated on the student’s program of study, which can range from 12 to 24. Consequently, until the student earns the required number of credits for the writing, registration for credits resulting in grades of “NC” will need to be repeated.

Grade Change

A student who believes that an error has been made in the assignment of a grade must follow the procedure described later in this catalog in the Student Rights and Responsibilities section under the heading, “Course Grade and Program Dismissal Appeals.”

Grade Point Average

A grade point average is obtained by dividing the total number of honor points earned by the total number of semester hours completed. For example, a total of forty-eight honor points earned in a semester by a student who completed sixteen hours of course work gives a grade point average of 3.0 for the semester.

Graduate Credit by Examination

Each academic unit responsible for offering a graduate program may, with the approval of its dean, establish a procedure for granting credit by examination for any course numbered 5000 through 6990. All credit by examination is subject to the following regulations:

1. The academic unit which offers a graduate program shall determine if an equivalency examination may be used to obtain credit for a particular 5000- or 6000-level course in that academic unit.
2. All equivalency examinations will be administered and graded by no fewer than two faculty members from the academic unit offering the particular course.
3. All credit by examination shall be graded “Credit” or “No Credit.”  “Credit” will be posted on the transcript as “Credit earned by examination” without letter grade or honor points. Students who do not achieve a sufficient score to receive “Credit” will have no entry made on their transcripts.
4. Credit by examination can be used to meet all other University graduation requirements except the residency requirement.
5. Credit by examination can be earned only by those students admitted to a specific graduate degree or certificate program and who are enrolled concurrently with the examination for credit.
6. Credit by examination earned at another university may transfer in accordance with the current policies of the Graduate College governing the transfer of credit.
7. Examination fees are assessed on a credit hour basis and are the same for all students. The current fee schedule: less than four credit hours, $50.00; four credit hours to eight credit hours, $100.00. By special arrangement, some course examinations may require higher fees.

Honor Points

The number of honor points earned in a course is the number of semester hours credit given by the course multiplied by the value of the letter grade received.  (See the “Grading System” table above.) For example, a grade of “B” (3 honor points) in a four-hour course gives 3 X 4, or 12 honor points.

Honor points are not generated in a Credit/No Credit course, such as in any 7000-level course.

Credit earned in undergraduate courses is not computed into the graduate point-hour ratio.

Honor point deficiencies acquired in credits earned at Western Michigan University cannot be made up by credits and honor points earned at another university.   Only credit hours transfer from another university-not grades and not honor points.

Repeated Course

With the exception of courses that are approved by the University Curriculum Review Policy as repeatable for credit (e.g., multi-topic or umbrella courses), no more than two courses may be retaken and no course may be repeated more than once during the student’s graduate career (inclusive of both master’s and doctoral programs) at WMU. This number may be further limited by individual departments. Permission to retake a course must be obtained from the program advisor and graduate dean before registration for the course to be repeated takes place. The original grade for the course will remain on the student’s transcript, and both the original and repeated course grade will be computed into the degree program grade point average. 

Final Examination

All students enrolled in a course in which a final examination is given must take the examination.

Student requests for an examination at any other time than that scheduled may not be honored.

Full-time/Part-time/Three-quarter time Student Status

For all graduate students taking courses for a stated degree or certificate program, six hours constitutes full-time status, five hours constitutes three-quarter time status, and three hours constitutes half-time status in Fall and Spring semesters.  In the Summer I and Summer II sessions, three hours in either session constitutes full-time status for that session and two hours constitutes half-time status. Three-quarter time status is not available for sessions.

Students who have completed all course work for their master’s or doctoral level program and who have only the thesis or dissertation to complete are required by Western Michigan University to enroll for a minimum of one-hour in thesis or dissertation credits in all Fall and Spring semesters through the semester of graduation. If the student will graduate in the Summer I or Summer II session, the student must be enrolled in that session. Such enrollment will satisfy WMU’s continuous enrollment requirement.

However, students must be aware that FICA regulations and some federal loan deferment regulations require at least half-time enrollment, which at WMU is now at least three hours of enrollment. Graduate students, even those enrolled for thesis or dissertation hours, must be enrolled for at least half-time (3 hours at WMU) in order to qualify for FICA tax exemption or to be eligible for loan deferments.

Since enrollment fees are determined by hours enrolled, and not by full- or part-time status, students (whether graduate or undergraduate) who enroll for four or fewer hours are charged a lesser enrollment fee than those who enroll for five or more hours, and consequently they will be required to pay an additional fee for unlimited use of the recreation center. Students enrolling for four or fewer hours will have access to the recreation center for 10 visits without extra fee charges.

Independent Study

Independent Study refers to enrollment in an appropriately designated, variable-credit course for a specific plan of study, authorized and supervised by a designated, consenting faculty member.

Independent Study is not a substitute for regular courses, but an enrichment opportunity. Normally, it is a project designed to allow students to investigate an area of interest not within the scope of a regular course, to probe in more depth than is possible in a regular course, or to obtain an educational experience outside that normally offered by a regular course.

Since individual Independent Study projects are not normally reviewed through the usual departmental and University processes, it is essential that the academic adequacy of such projects be assured by some other means applied consistently throughout the University.

The following policy guidelines are intended to serve that function.

Proposals for Independent Study

Independent Study requires an adequate description of the work to be undertaken, requiring planning in advance of the registration period. Sufficient time, therefore, must be allowed for such planning and for obtaining the necessary faculty and administrative approvals.

While the Independent Study project is normally student-initiated, early interaction with faculty is essential in the development of a mutually acceptable project description. At a minimum, such a description should contain an outline of the study topic, specification of the work to be done and the materials to be read, the credit to be given, the type and frequency of faculty-student contacts, and a statement of the evaluative criteria to be used by the faculty member.

Approval Process

The faculty member must accept and approve the student and the project, and then submit the agreed-upon proposal on the appropriate University form to the department chairperson for approval. If the chairperson approves, information copies of the form must be submitted to the dean and the Registrar.

The granting of approval by the department chairperson may involve considerations, such as faculty workload, which go beyond the merits of the project.

Faculty Responsibility

Independent Study is basically a tutorial process, necessarily involving substantial faculty participation.  In that respect, it should be distinguished from “credit by examination,” a different option in which the role of the faculty member is primarily evaluative.

A student is on his/her own in Independent Study in that it involves no class meetings or formal lectures, but the faculty member is the responsible custodian of the project, obliged to provide guidance, assistance, criticism, suggestion, and evaluation, and shall be the instructor of record who is responsible for turning in a grade to the Registrar’s Office.

Thesis, Project, and Dissertation Committee Requirements

Master’s Thesis Committee

A master’s thesis committee shall be appointed for each student undertaking a thesis as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master’s degree. The purpose of the thesis committee is twofold: 1) to provide the range of expertise necessary to advise a student in the conduct of the master’s thesis, and 2) to ensure that evaluation of the thesis represents a consensus of professionals in the student’s chosen discipline.

The master’s thesis committee is charged with the supervision and evaluation of the master’s thesis, a task that includes but is not limited to the following responsibilities: a) advise the student on selection and/or development of a master’s thesis topic; b) review and approve a proposal for the master’s thesis; c) provide consultation regarding progress on the thesis; d) evaluate the final document; and e) in those departments requiring an oral defense, evaluate the oral defense of the thesis.

In addition to the previously described responsibilities that are generic to all thesis committee members, the chairperson of the committee assumes the following additional responsibilities: a) in those departments where this responsibility is not discharged through other mechanisms, advise the student regarding selection of thesis committee members; b) routinely monitor student progress on the thesis; c) call thesis committee meetings; d) evaluate the readiness of the thesis proposal and of the thesis for committee review and action; and e) inform the student of the need to adhere to the Guidelines for the Preparation of Theses, Specialist Projects, and Dissertations (available on the Graduate College website).

Each thesis committee shall consist of a minimum of three members or associate members of the graduate faculty of Western Michigan University. The committee chair must be a full member of the graduate faculty. At least two of the committee members must be from the department or academic program in which the student is pursuing the master’s degree. The appointment of a master’s thesis committee is a three-stage process requiring, first, a mutual agreement between the master’s student and the prospective committee members; second, a formal appointment by the chairperson of the department (or the chairperson’s designee); and third, notification of and approval by the office of the dean of the Graduate College regarding this appointment.

Each unit offering a master’s degree in which the thesis is either required or optional may approve and disseminate additional guidelines concerning master’s thesis committees, including the qualifications for committee membership, the procedures used to select and appoint committee members, and the specific functions and responsibilities that the members of these committees have. Additionally, each unit is encouraged to disseminate an updated list of faculty who qualify to serve on master’s thesis committees and their respective areas of expertise (a current list of graduate faculty members by department is available on the Graduate College website).

The thesis must be in a form acceptable to the unit and to the Graduate College before the student may be awarded the master’s degree. The thesis format must adhere to the Guidelines for the Preparation of Theses, Specialist Projects, and Dissertations and the thesis submitted to the Graduate College for review by the deadline for the student’s term of graduation (deadlines and guidelines available on the Graduate College website).

If there are differences among the members of a master’s thesis committee over the approval of the thesis and its oral defense, it shall be the responsibility of the committee to undertake every reasonable effort to resolve these differences and come to a unanimous decision. 

In the event a student wishes to appeal a negative decision by the student’s master’s thesis committee, the student shall first take the appeal to this same committee, which shall hear the appeal and render a decision. In case the committee cannot reach a unanimous agreement and the student wishes to appeal further a negative decision, a Review Committee shall be established consisting of the dean of the Graduate College, the appropriate academic dean, and the chairperson or director of the unit. The Review Committee shall seek to resolve the controversy without passing on the thesis. The Review Committee handling such a case is limited to procedural actions, such as reconstituting the master’s thesis committee if the case merits it. 

Specialist Project Committee

A specialist project committee shall be appointed for each student undertaking a project as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a specialist degree. The purpose of the project committee is twofold: 1) to provide the range of expertise necessary to advise a student in the conduct of the specialist project, and 2) to ensure that evaluation of the project represents a consensus of professionals in the student’s chosen discipline.

The specialist project committee is charged with the supervision and evaluation of the specialist project, a task that includes but is not limited to the following responsibilities: a) advise the student on selection and/or development of a specialist project topic; b) review and approve a proposal for the specialist project; c) provide consultation regarding progress on the project; d) evaluate the final document; and e) in those departments requiring an oral defense, evaluate the oral defense of the project.

In addition to the previously described responsibilities that are generic to all project committee members, the chairperson of the committee assumes the following additional responsibilities: a) in those departments where this responsibility is not discharged through other mechanisms, advise the student regarding selection of project committee members; b) routinely monitor student progress on the project; c) call project committee meetings; d) evaluate the readiness of the project proposal and of the project for committee review and action; and e) inform the student of the need to adhere to the Guidelines for the Preparation of Theses, Specialist Projects, and Dissertations (available on the Graduate College website).

Each project committee shall consist of a minimum of three members or associate members of the graduate faculty of Western Michigan University. The committee chair must be a full member of the graduate faculty. At least two of the committee members must be from the department or academic program in which the student is pursuing the specialist degree. The appointment of a specialist committee is a three-stage process requiring, first, a mutual agreement between the specialist student and the prospective committee members; second, a formal appointment by the chairperson of the department (or the chairperson’s designee); and third, notification of and approval by the office of the dean of the Graduate College regarding this appointment.

Each unit offering a specialist degree in which the project is either required or optional may approve and disseminate additional guidelines concerning specialist project committees, including the qualifications for committee membership, the procedures used to select and appoint committee members, and the specific functions and responsibilities that the members of these committees have. Additionally, each unit is encouraged to disseminate an updated list of faculty who qualify to serve on specialist project committees and their respective areas of expertise (a current list of graduate faculty members by department is available on the Graduate College website).

The specialist project must be in a form acceptable to the unit and to the Graduate College before the student may be awarded the specialist degree. The project format must adhere to the Guidelines for the Preparation of Theses, Specialist Projects, and Dissertations and the project submitted to the Graduate College for review by the deadline for the student’s term of graduation (deadlines and guidelines available on the Graduate College website).

If there are differences among the members of a specialist project committee over the approval of the project and its oral defense, it shall be the responsibility of the committee to undertake every reasonable effort to resolve these differences and come to a unanimous decision. 

In the event a student wishes to appeal a negative decision by the student’s specialist project committee, the student shall first take the appeal to this same committee, which shall hear the appeal and render a decision. In case the committee cannot reach a unanimous agreement and the student wishes to appeal further a negative decision, a Review Committee shall be established consisting of the dean of the Graduate College, the appropriate academic dean, and the chairperson or director of the unit. The Review Committee shall seek to resolve the controversy without passing on the project. The Review Committee handling such a case is limited to procedural actions, such as reconstituting the specialist project committee if the case merits it.

Doctoral Dissertation Committee

A doctoral dissertation committee shall be appointed for each student undertaking a dissertation as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a doctoral degree. The purpose of the dissertation committee is to review the dissertation proposal, procedures, and results; to make suggestions relative to these matters to the student; and to decide whether to approve the dissertation and the oral defense as fulfilling these requirements for the doctoral degree.

Each doctoral dissertation committee shall consist of at least three members. The student’s major dissertation advisor shall serve as chairperson of the committee. At least one member shall be from outside the student’s department (this person may be from a related cognate discipline, from outside the student’s college, or from outside WMU) who shall serve as a bona fide, fully participating member of the committee. The committee shall be approved and recommended by the unit, approved by the office of the appropriate academic dean, and approved and appointed by the graduate dean. Each member of the committee must be either a member or an associate member of the graduate faculty; the committee chair must be a full member of the graduate faculty (a current list of graduate faculty members by department is available on the Graduate College website).

Each unit offering a doctoral program shall approve and publish its policies concerning doctoral dissertation committees, including the qualifications for membership on doctoral dissertation committees, the procedures used to select who should serve on these committees, and the specific functions and responsibilities that the members of these committees have. The chairperson of each student’s doctoral dissertation committee shall indicate in writing the specific responsibilities that individual members of that committee have.

The formal defense of the dissertation must be scheduled with the Graduate College at least two weeks in advance. All members of this committee must approve the dissertation and at least three must be in attendance for and approve its oral defense. The dissertation must be in a form acceptable to the unit and to the Graduate College before the student may be awarded the doctoral degree. The dissertation format must adhere to the Guidelines for the Preparation of Theses, Specialist Projects and Dissertations and the dissertation submitted to the Graduate College for review by the deadline for the student’s term of graduation (deadlines and guidelines available on the Graduate College website).

If there are differences among the members of a doctoral dissertation committee over the approval of the dissertation and its oral defense, it shall be the responsibility of the committee to undertake every reasonable effort to resolve these differences and come to a unanimous decision.

In the event a student wishes to appeal a negative decision by the student’s doctoral dissertation committee, the student shall first take the appeal to this same committee, which shall hear the appeal and render a decision. In case the committee cannot reach a unanimous agreement and the student wishes to appeal further a negative decision, a Review Committee shall be established consisting of the dean of the Graduate College, the appropriate academic dean, and the chairperson or director of the unit. The Review Committee shall seek to resolve the controversy without passing on the dissertation. The Review Committee handling such a case is limited to procedural actions, such as reconstituting the doctoral dissertation committee if the case merits it.

Graduate Faculty Appointments

The Graduate Faculty is responsible for graduate education at Western Michigan University. Membership in the Graduate Faculty may be as full members or associate members. Full members are able to provide all functions relating to graduate education. Associate members may provide specific functions according to the sub category in which they are appointed. All faculty members who hold Board appointments are eligible to be members of the Graduate Faculty. Other individuals who are needed to perform specific functions of the Graduate Faculty may be approved as associate members of the Graduate Faculty. The Graduate College shall periodically publish a complete list of current graduate Faculty appointments.

Functions of the Graduate Faculty

Individuals with full membership in the Graduate Faculty are able to perform all of the following functions:

1. Teach graduate level courses.
2. Advise students in graduate degree and certificate programs.
3. Serve on graduate thesis, project, dissertation, and examination committees.
4. Direct graduate theses, projects, and dissertations.
5. Serve on the Graduate Studies Council and its subcommittees, on departmental graduate committees, and on other University committees relating solely to graduate education.

Individuals with associate membership in the Graduate Faculty may assume functions as designated below:

1. Board appointed faculty
   1. Teach graduate level courses, as approved on a course by course basis by the department, for those courses in which they have expertise as evidenced by educational preparation or experience.
   2. Advise students in graduate degree and certification programs.
   3. Serve on graduate thesis, project, dissertation, or examination committees.
2. Non-board appointed faculty
   1. Teach graduate level courses.
   2. Advise students in graduate degree and certification programs when specifically authorized by the department.
   3. Serve on graduate thesis, project, dissertation, or examination committees.
   4. Serve on the Graduate Studies Council and its subcommittees, on departmental graduate committees, and on other University committees relating solely to graduate education.
3. Individuals not employed by Western Michigan University
   1. Serve on graduate thesis, project, dissertation, or examination committees as appropriate.

Criteria for Appointment

1. Criteria for appointment to full membership

a. General criteria

1) Appointment to the faculty by the Board of Trustees of Western Michigan University.
2) Earned doctorate or other earned terminal degree as identified in departmental criteria.
3) Current involvement in appropriate research and/or artistic or professional endeavors as evidenced by criteria established by the department tenure and promotion policy. Unless otherwise specified in departmental criteria, determination for appointment is to be based upon the following evidence within the previous five years:

a) One book published by a reputable press, evidenced by peer review, reputation, or editorial board; OR
b) Two publications in peer reviewed journals, national monographs, or chapters in a book; OR
c) Three presentations at a regional, national, or international professionally relevant venues; OR
d) Five performances, exhibits, or other activities as defined in the department policy statement; OR
e) Some appropriate number and/or amount of external grants and contracts, as determined by departmental criteria; OR
f)  A combination of the above criteria.

4) Active and productive participation in graduate education. This includes a demonstrated commitment to the professional development of graduate students, successful involvement in the guidance of scholarly activities by graduate students, and significant, effective teaching at the graduate level. This does not apply to faculty who have recently completed their terminal degree.
5) Appropriate teaching and/or professional experience as determined by departmental criteria.

b. Department criteria

1) Each department/unit shall specify the terminal degree required in its discipline(s). If departmental criteria have not been specified, the terminal degree shall be the doctorate.

2) A department/unit may specify additional criteria as defined in their department policy statement

2. Criteria for appointment to associate membership

a. General criteria

1) Board appointed faculty

a) terminal degree in one’s discipline, as determined by departmental criteria; and/or
b) appropriate teaching and/or professional experience as determined by departmental criteria.

2) Non-board appointed faculty

a) terminal degree in one’s discipline, or
b) expertise in one’s discipline by virtue of education or experience as specified by the department.

3) Individuals not employed by Western Michigan University

a) expertise in one’s discipline by virtue of education or experience as specified by the department.

b. Department Criteria

1) Each department/unit shall specify the terminal degree required in its discipline(s). If departmental criteria have not been specified, the terminal degree shall be the doctorate.

2) A department/unit may specify additional criteria as defined in their department policy statement

 3. Term of appointment of full members

The usual period of an appointment to full membership in the Graduate Faculty shall be from 1 July of a given year to 30 June five years later. Faculty members holding a temporary board appointment with a term of at least two years duration shall not be given an appointment to membership on the Graduate Faculty for a period of time in excess of their term of appointment to the University. Appointments with effective dates other than 1 July shall be for a period of time not exceeding five and one-half years and shall expire on 30 June of the appropriate year.

4. Term of appointment for associate members

The usual period of an appointment to associate membership in the Graduate Faculty shall be from 1 July of a given year to 30 June three years later. Appointments with effective dates other than 1 July shall be for a period of time not exceeding three and one-half years and shall expire on 30 June of the appropriate year. Approval for associate members not employed by Western Michigan University shall be only for the period of time required to complete their service on the thesis, project, or dissertation committee.

5. Procedures for appointment of members

a. Each department/unit offering graduate work shall nominate for membership in the Graduate Faculty those eligible faculty members who meet the established departmental criteria. Departments/units may nominate faculty members from outside their own departments/units.
b. Departmental nomination shall be made on the Graduate Faculty Nomination Form and shall be endorsed by the department chairperson. Nominations shall be reviewed by the dean of the college and shall be forwarded with recommendation to the dean of the Graduate College for action.
c. Individuals who hold appointment in one department may serve on graduate thesis, project, dissertation, or examination committees in other departments when appropriate and when requested by those departments.
d. Appeals concerning procedures for appointment can be made to the dean of the Graduate College.

6. Reappointment and termination of appointment

a. Each appointment of a member of the Graduate Faculty shall be reviewed by the department/unit during the fall semester preceding its expiration date. Reappointment shall follow the same procedures as for appointment, including submission of an updated curriculum vitae.
b. The termination of an appointment of an individual to the faculty of WMU shall automatically terminate the individual’s appointment as a member of the Graduate Faculty.
c. In case of termination of the individual’s appointment to the Graduate Faculty or retirement from the faculty of WMU, the individual may complete duties assigned during the period of the individual’s appointment as a member of the Graduate Faculty.

7. Removal of Graduate Faculty Status

Faculty with full or associate graduate faculty status may have their status removed with due cause before their term of appointment ends. A review must be initiated by the faculty members’ department chairperson and academic college dean, or by their academic college dean. Faculty members will be notified that review has begun by the Graduate Faculty Status Review Committee, and will be asked to respond to the inquiry. If initiated by an academic college dean, then the faculty member’s department chairperson is to be notified before the faculty member is notified.

The Graduate Faculty Status Review Committee will consist of the Graduate College Dean, the Graduate College Associate Dean, and the Chair of the Graduate Studies Council. Faculty members will have the opportunity to address the conduct issues with this Graduate Faculty Status Review Committee in person and in writing, prior to any decisions on such faculty members’ graduate faculty status.

Following the inquiry/review, faculty members may have their graduate faculty status revoked completely or in the case of “Full” status, changed to “Associate” status. Additionally, faculty members’ graduate faculty status may be placed on probation for a defined period of time no longer than one year, during which time faculty members may be asked to correct any issues related to conduct. Faculty members failing to meet the expectations during their probationary period, as determined by their department chairperson, will then have their graduate faculty status revoked.

The decision to revoke, reduce and or place on probation is the decision of the Graduate Faculty Status Review Committee. Faculty members have the right to appeal the decision.

The Graduate Studies Council will serve as the appeals committee. The Graduate College Dean, Graduate College Associate Dean and Chair of the Graduate Studies Council will not serve on the appeals committee. The Vice-Chair of the Graduate Studies Council will serve as the Appeals Committee Chair with the remaining voting members of the Graduate Studies Council servicing as the Appeals Committee.

The Appeals Committee will be convened when they receive a written appeal from the faculty member. The Appeals Committee can decide the following: uphold the original decision, modify the original decision, or vacate the original decision. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final.

Thesis, Project, or Dissertation Credit Requirements and Policies

A student who intends to register for the courses Master’s Thesis (7000), Specialist Project (7200), or Doctoral Dissertation (7300) for the first time is required to file a completed Permission to Elect Form (available on the Graduate College website forms page) with the Graduate College before registering to ensure that the student is informed about the regulations pertaining to the preparation and submission of the manuscript and the requirements for research involving regulated subjects and hazardous materials.

Continuous Enrollment

Following a student’s first enrollment in the courses Master’s Thesis (7000), Specialist Project (7200), or Dissertation (7300), the student must have continuous enrollment until all thesis or project or dissertation requirements are completed satisfactorily and approved by all appropriate bodies. Registration deadlines apply. For students not enrolled in the Summer I and Summer II sessions, pre-enrollment in the subsequent Fall semester is necessary for access to library resources during Summer I and Summer II.

Continuous enrollment is defined as enrollment in all Fall and Spring semesters from the initial enrollment to the semester in which the student graduates (some programs may require students to be enrolled during Summer sessions as well as Fall and Spring semesters; student should refer to respective program handbooks). If the student will graduate in the Summer I or Summer II session, the student must be enrolled in that session.

Research Subject Protection and Registration

Students conducting research that involves human or animal subjects, biohazards, genetic materials, or nuclear materials/radiation must have prior approval of the research proposal by the appropriate University board/committee/official, thus assuring compliance with the regulations for the protection of such subjects or for the use of such materials. (For resources on the different kinds of regulated subjects and materials, see wmich.edu/research/compliance.) There are no exceptions to this requirement. Registration for courses in which research is conducted that requires such prior approval should not be attempted until the appropriate University board grants approval. The department requiring the course is responsible for assuring that the student has complied with federal, state, and WMU requirements. The student completing such regulated research for a master’s thesis, specialist project, or doctoral dissertation must include the written approval or exemption letter from the appropriate board/committee/official as an appendix to the thesis, project, or dissertation, and a student completing such regulated research for a course report, paper, or project must include the written approval or exemption letter from the appropriate board/committee/official as an addendum to the report, paper, or project. For more information, call the Office of the Vice President for Research, (269) 387-8298.

Transfer & Other Credit Policies

Transfer Credits

Transfer credit will be recorded on the Western Michigan University transcript as “Credit” (CR) only and will not be calculated into the honor points earned and the graduate grade point average at WMU. Grades and honor points do not transfer; only credit transfers. Transfer credits for graduate students will not appear on the WMU transcript until time of graduation. As a consequence, honor point deficiencies acquired in credits earned at WMU cannot be made up by credits earned at another university. (Exception: Grades for courses taken at other Michigan institutions under the Michigan Intercollegiate Graduate Studies [MIGS] program are applied to the student’s grade point average at WMU and appear on the student transcript. See the Graduate College website forms page for more information about the MIGS program.)

Graduate credit may be transferred from other schools provided:

1. The credits were earned at an institution accredited for graduate study and are of “B” grade (3.0) or better.  Moreover, the student’s overall grade point average for all graduate work taken at the other institution must also be “B” (3.0) or better.
2. The credit is earned within the time limit for the student’s WMU degree program (six years for master’s or specialist programs, or seven years for doctoral programs), is represented on an official transcript of the other institution, and is identified as graduate credit.
3. The student’s department verifies that the transfer credits contribute to the student’s degree program and includes them in the student’s Graduate Student Permanent Program of Study.
4. The graduate dean approves the inclusion of the transferred credits in the student’s Graduate Student Permanent Program of Study.

Master’s Program

A student enrolled in a master’s program must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours at Western Michigan University unless an agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding for a 1+1 program exists with a partner institution where specific course work and semester hours have been identified for transfer credit. Any credits transferred into a master’s program from other institutions may not exceed 16 semester credit hours and must have been earned within the six-year period prior to graduation. A maximum of two semester hours of graduate credit for any workshop completed at another accredited institution may be applied to a master’s degree at WMU. (Exceptions may be approved by the graduate dean only upon the recommendation of the program advisor or the chairperson of the department in which the student is enrolled for graduate study.) Credits may be transferred from one master’s program at WMU to another as long as all requirements of the new program are met.

Graduate certificate programs may be taken separately or in conjunction with a graduate degree program, with credits from the certificate eligible to be used in the graduate degree program. Departments can determine which certificate credits, if any, to be used within a graduate degree program; such certificate credits can be used only if the student has been admitted to the graduate program at least one semester prior to the completion of that graduate degree program.

Similarly, graduate courses taken as a degree-seeking student may be used within a graduate certificate program, as long as the student is enrolled in the certificate program prior to completion of the last course required for the certificate.

Second Master’s Program

A student enrolled for a second master’s degree from Western Michigan University may transfer internally up to 12 semester hours from the first master’s degree from WMU and must fulfill all requirements of the second master’s degree. Any credits transferred internally into the second master’s program must have been completed within six (6) years of the conferral of the second master’s degree. The second degree program must fulfill all of the other usual requirements for a master’s degree.

Specialist Program 

A student with a master’s degree from another institution who completes a specialist degree at Western Michigan University may transfer up to thirty-six semester hours of approved graduate credit. A student without a master’s degree who completes a specialist degree at WMU may transfer up to twelve semester hours of approved graduate credit. All credits transferred into a specialist program must have been earned within the six-year period prior to graduation. The current regulation concerning appropriateness of the credit accepted will apply. 

Doctoral Program 

A student enrolled in a doctoral program must complete a minimum of thirty semester hours, excluding the dissertation, at Western Michigan University after admission to a doctoral program. The thirty hours, excluding the dissertation, may not include any credit earned at another institution. Credit earned at another institution in addition to the thirty hours (excluding the dissertation) earned at WMU after admission to a doctoral program, however, may be approved by the doctoral program advisor and included in the student’s Graduate Student Permanent Program of Study. All credits transferred into a doctoral program must have been earned within the seven-year period prior to graduation. Credits may be transferred as long as all requirements of the new program are met.

Undergraduate Credit in a Graduate Program

In certain instances, an advisor may permit a student to include up to six semester hours of 3000- or 4000-level courses in a master’s program, provided the student receives written permission from the advisor, the department chair, and the graduate dean (form available on the Graduate College website forms page) prior to registering for these courses and then earns a grade of “B” or better. These courses earn undergraduate credit only and are not computed into the graduate grade point average.  

The criteria for approval are:

1. Offering departments must certify those 3000- and 4000-level courses that may be included in master’s degree programs.
2. The courses certified must be taught by a member of the graduate faculty for acceptance in a master’s program.

The form used to request approval of a graduate student’s election of a 3000- or 4000-level course may be obtained from the Graduate College website. 

Service Learning, Co-Curricular Learning and Volunteerism

Service-learning, co-curricular learning and volunteerism are all forms of experiential learning that do not include financial remuneration. Experiential learning is an important aspect of a student’s academic career and includes pedagogies that incorporate practical application and hands-on experiences into learning.

Service-Learning: Service-learning, while enrolled at Western Michigan University, is a mutually beneficial endeavor in which course learning objectives are met by addressing community-identified needs–putting academics into practice. The criteria for the service-learning course designation are as follows:

• Service project must enhance understanding of course learning objectives
• Students provide at least 15 hours of service during the semester. Project-based learning is determined by completion of project goals rather than number of hours. Hours must be logged
• Must include critical reflection of student’s experiences
• Projects must serve a community-identified need
• Must be a reciprocal partnership among community partners, students, and professors/instructors/staff
• Projects must be arranged by university faculty or staff
• Only courses in which service-learning is required for all students will receive the service learning designation
• To receive the designation, the course must include the service-learning requirement every time it is taught

Co-Curricular Learning: Co-curricular learning, while enrolled at Western Michigan University, takes place outside formal academic studies. The criteria for co-curricular learning include:

• Learning objectives are determined by the organizing body, and are not associated with course content and objectives
• Number of hours is set by the organizing body-Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s), Resident Assistants (RA’s), other student groups, etc.
• Includes structured reflection
• Service enhances student learning and meets community needs

Volunteerism: Volunteerism refers to work done to give back to the community and may be completed by individual students or by organized group activities. It may be done on a voluntary basis or as required for an academic course, program or other campus organization while enrolled at Western Michigan University. Volunteerism:

• Is usually not related to an academic course
• Has no minimum or maximum number of hours; hours should be logged in GoRSO
• Does not necessarily include reflection