Academic Policies and Procedures

Computing Grade Point Average/Quality Points

The number of quality points awarded for a course is determined by multiplying the number of semester hours for that course by the quality point value of the grade received. The cumulative GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points by the number of semester hours attempted.

To be eligible for a degree, a candidate must have a minimum number of quality points equal to three times the number of semester hours attempted in addition to meeting other prescribed requirements. The following notations have no effect on the GPA: AW, CC, I, NR, P, S, U.

Course Credit (Semester Hours)

Course credit is based on units designated as semester hours. One semester hour, or one base contact hour, equals a minimum of 750 minutes; this equation translates to a minimum of 15, 50-minute class hours per semester. Time required for class preparation is not a consideration in the calculation of course credit. A three semester hour course will require six to nine hours of work outside of class each week. Courses involving laboratory work give one semester hour of credit for each two, three or four hours of scheduled work in the laboratory during a week, depending on the course. Internships require a minimum of 2,250 minutes for each hour of credit. 

Course Load

Students may enroll in no more than 15 master’s level credits per semester for fall and spring semesters. This same limit applies during the summer term. Graduate students are considered full-time if they are registered for 9 credits in fall and spring semesters and half-time if they are registered for 5 credits. The same credits apply to summer term.

Duplicative Coursework

No course may count toward both the master’s degree and the bachelor’s degree.

GPA Requirements

Master of Arts in Teaching GPA Requirements

Students in the MAT program must complete the degree with a GPA of 3.0.  No more than two grades of “C” will count toward degree requirements, and no grade lower than “C” will count toward the degree.  All grade records remain on the master’s transcript and count toward the GPA.  A student who has received two grades of “C” will be placed on probation and required to meet with an advisor on a regular basis.  A student who receives a third grade of “C” will be dismissed from the program.

Master of Professional Accountancy GPA Requirements

Students in the MPAcc program must complete the degree with a GPA of 3.0. No more than two grades of “C-,” “C,” or “C+” will count toward degree requirements, and no grade lower than a “C-” will count toward the degree. All grade records remain on the master’s transcript and count toward the GPA. A student who receives three grades of less than a “B-” will be dismissed from the program.

Master of Social Work GPA Requirements

MSW students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in any academic term. Any student falling below a 3.0 in any given term will be placed on academic probation and be required to develop a plan for raising the GPA above 3.0. Students who fail to raise their GPA over 3.0 after 15 units will be dismissed from the program. No grade lower than a “B-” counts toward degree completion. Students receiving a “C+” or below will be required to repeat the course. Students must be aware that the sequential coursework policy will often require students to take time off to repeat the course work. Students who do not successfully complete a social work course with a “B-” or better after the second attempt will be dismissed from the program.

Grades and Notations 

AW - Administrative Withdrawal

The Administrative Withdrawal (AW) notation is assigned when a student, or representative, requests to be withdrawn from a course due to unforeseen or extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. When the “AW” notation is assigned, no academic credit is awarded. The course remains on the student’s academic record with an “AW” notation and counts toward the student’s attempted hours. The course is not calculated in the student’s GPA or quality points.

Students may request an administrative withdrawal from the Office of the Registrar after the drop deadline (census date) posted in the official academic calendar. Deadlines differ for courses offered during part of a semester, including late-start and weekend courses. Students should refer to the Student Detail Schedule in ConnectU to review drop deadlines for individual courses.

Although requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, examples include the death of an immediate family member, serious illness or medical emergency, or other life-altering event. The student must provide supporting documentation to substantiate the request.

I - Incomplete

The Incomplete (I) notation may be assigned when a student, who was achieving satisfactory progress in a course and who had completed most class assignments, is unable to take the final examination and/ or did not complete all class assignments due to unusual circumstances such as hospitalization or disability. Incomplete work denoted by the Incomplete “I” notation must be completed within one calendar year or earlier, at the discretion of the faculty member. If the incomplete work is not completed within one year, the “I” notation will convert to an “F.”  Students must have completed at least 75% of the course work to qualify for consideration for an Incomplete. The student must be passing the course in order to be granted an Incomplete.

Determination of eligibility does not guarantee that an Incomplete will be granted. Students who do meet the qualifications may request an Incomplete from the faculty member who is teaching the course. The decision to grant an Incomplete is up to the faculty or the Department Chair’s discretion. The decision to grant an Incomplete as an accommodation based on a student’s disability shall be made by the faculty member, or the Department Chair if the faculty member is not available, in consultation with the Director of the Access Center.

If an Incomplete is granted, the student and instructor should fill out and sign an Incomplete Agreement form in order to clarify what the student needs to do to complete the course.

If a student receives an “I” in an online class, the instructor should contact the Educational Technology Center which will add the student to the online course roster so that the student will be able to logon to the course. This must be done by the instructor each semester the student continues to work on the course.

In order for an “I” to be changed to a letter grade, the incomplete work must be completed for the course for which the student originally registered. The student should NOT re-enroll for the same course unless his/her intent is to retake the entire course. In this case, the student will pay tuition and fees.

W - Withdrawal

The Withdrawal (W) notation is assigned when a student officially withdraws from a course via ConnectU after the drop deadline (census date) and before the withdrawal deadline posted in the official academic calendar. Deadlines differ proportionally for courses offered during part of a semester, including late-start and weekend courses. Students should refer to the Student Detail Schedule via ConnectU to review drop and withdrawal deadlines for individual courses. When a student withdraws from a course, no academic credit is awarded. The course remains on the student’s academic record with a “W” notation and counts toward the student’s attempted hours. The course is not calculated in the student’s GPA or quality points. After the withdrawal deadline, students may not withdraw from a course and will be assigned the grade earned based on the course syllabus.

Grade Appeals

If students have reason to question the validity of a grade received in a course, they must make their request for a change before the end of the fourth week of the semester following the completion of the course (the following fall semester in the case of the spring semester). The Grade Appeal Guidelines can be obtained from the students’ respective deans. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate a grade appeal within the time limit, and to follow the procedures specified for grade appeals in the current Student Handbook (msudenver.edu/handbook/). All decisions of the Grade Appeal Committee are final.

Grade Changes

Grade changes must be submitted within the first seven weeks of the semester following the completion of the class. Spring semester grades are changed throughout the summer semester and through the seventh week of the fall semester. A Grade Change Form is required to change a student’s grade. Faculty may submit the form to their designated department or to the Office of the Registrar with appropriate photo identification (preferably an MSU Denver ID).

The faculty member may change an Incomplete (I) grade using the same form at any time within three consecutive semesters (including summer semester) after the completion of the class. At the end of the third consecutive semester (one calendar year), it the incomplete grade remains on the academic record, it will become an “F”.

Grades may NOT be changed on the basis of revised standards of evaluation, new examinations, or additional work undertaken or completed after grades are submitted to the Office of the Registrar. Grades may only be changed on the basis of an error in evaluation, computation, or transcription.

Readmission

Students who have not been in attendance for three consecutive semesters, including summer, must reapply to the University. Students requesting readmission must be in good academic standing and must submit their application for readmission to the master’s program in which they have been enrolled.

Residency Requirement

The University residency requirement for master’s programs is the total number of semester hours required for the program minus 9.

Student Code of Conduct

The Student Code of Conduct applies to all MSU Denver students, regardless of level. It may be found in the Student Handbook on the MSU Denver website, www.msudenver.edu/handbook/.

Time Limit on Completion of Degree

Students must complete the master’s degree within six calendar years from the term they initially enroll. Students should check the program website and/or specific program section of the catalog to determine specific degree requirements.