Graduate Regulations

Academic Load (G-1)

The full-time course load for graduate students is nine graduate credits, including coursework portfolio, professional project, field study or thesis. The maximum course load for graduate students is 16 credits with any combination of courses (graduate or undergraduate) during fall, winter or spring term. Twelve credit hours is the maximum load for graduate students during the six-week summer term.

Credit by Examination (G-3)

Graduate courses cannot be challenged. If a graduate student has extensive background in an academic area, the graduate student’s adviser can determine other graduate courses that can be substituted for the course in question on the plan of study. A substitution form must be submitted to the Graduate Programs Office.

Filing a Program Plan (G-4)

All graduate students must file a program plan within the first 9 credits of coursework. This plan lists all courses needed for a particular graduate program.

• The proposed program plan must be completed with the assistance of the appropriate adviser and submitted to the Graduate Programs Office for final approval. Financial Aid receives program verification once the program plan is on file.
• Conditionally admitted graduate students, complete requirements for admission as a regular graduate student, including providing a program plan.
• Students who have not filed a program plan after completing nine credits of coursework will have a hold placed on registration until the form has been filed with the Graduate Programs Office.

The steps listed above must also be completed by graduate students seeking additional endorsements, preparations, licensure, certificates or specializations.

Final Exit Evaluation (G-5)

All graduate students must complete one or more final exit evaluations. The type of exit evaluation is determined when the graduate program plan is approved. Common exit evaluations consist of written comprehensive examinations, thesis, portfolio, action research projects, field studies and professional projects or combinations of two exit evaluations. The Graduate Programs Office will determine the type of exit evaluation(s) based on the graduate student’s program plan.

Graduate students who write a thesis, professional project or field study must follow the procedures outlined in the guidelines which can be found on the web at graduate.wou.edu. 

Graduate students who prepare a portfolio should contact an adviser for information regarding specific portfolio requirements for that program.

Some divisions at WOU require comprehensive written examinations based on coursework in the student’s content area in addition to the completion of thesis, field study, professional project or portfolio.

Final written comprehensive examination will be based upon areas of study in the approved program. Subject area questions will be based upon the statement of components, objectives and requirements outlined in the statement of program objectives. Graduate students who fail one or more areas of the written comprehensive examination may be given a program of self-study by their adviser(s) and may retake the area(s) failed at another regularly scheduled comprehensive examination.

Students may retake the written comprehensive examinations only once. Graduate students who score unsatisfactorily (below C-) on any component of the comprehensive examination will be required to take a final oral examination on the unsatisfactory section. Final oral examinations will not be required of students who score a pass or above on all areas of the written comprehensive examination.

A graduate student is eligible to complete final evaluations only after all coursework has been completed or the student is in the final term of enrollment. Per policy, they can also participate in comprehensive exams spring term if they have two or fewer courses to finish during the subsequent summer term. All incomplete grades must be changed to a letter grade before a student will be allowed to take his or her comprehensive examination. An exception is made if the outstanding incomplete grade is for a current student teaching grade, exit project or special individual study course. Examinations are offered every term except summer.

Graduate Faculty (G-6)

The graduate faculty consists of the President and Vice President of academic affairs of WOU, the academic Deans, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, the colleges’ graduate faculty coordinators and members of the faculty who have been named by their divisions and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

To Teach Graduate Courses:

Qualifications: Earned graduate degree equivalent to or above the course degree level. Evidence of professional activity sufficient to assure awareness of current advances in the discipline or profession. Evidence of effective instruction or effectiveness in other types of professional presentations. In the case of new appointments, strength of evidence that indicates potential may substitute for experience.

To Serve on Graduate Student Committees:

Qualifications: Earned graduate degree equivalent to or above the student’s degree level. Evidence of professional activity or scholarship sufficient to assure awareness of current advances in the discipline or profession. Evidence of effectiveness in advising, participation on graduate student committees, and supervising graduate student research. In the case of new appointments, information suggesting potential for providing guidance to graduate students may substitute for participation on committees.

To Direct Master’s Exit Requirements:

Qualifications: Doctoral or other relevant terminal degree. A combination of a master’s degree and scholarly activity may be considered as a substitute for a doctoral or terminal degree. Evidence of professional activity and scholarship indicating participation in advances in the discipline or profession.

To Direct Doctoral Exit Requirements:

Qualifications: Doctoral degree. Evidence of professional activity and scholarship indicating active participation in current advances in the discipline or profession.

Graduate Faculty Exceptions:

For exceptions to any portion of the graduate faculty requirements, faculty may appeal to their college dean. Upon recommendation of the college dean, the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research will review and consider whether an exception is justified and upholds the academic integrity of WOU graduate programs.

Division chairs shall include information and updates on Graduate Faculty members to the Graduate Programs Office as part of their annual spring review. This information should include which faculty meets the criteria for teaching, directing, and serving on committees.

Graduate Grading System (G-7)

The following grading scale is employed at the graduate level:

The following marks are also used. These grades are disregarded in the computation of grade-point averages.

Graduate Level Courses (G-8)

All graduate courses will be designed to help students achieve well-defined objectives or student learning outcomes. Student learning outcomes encompass the range of student attributes and abilities that students should be able to demonstrate after successful completion of the course.

400/500 courses

Courses bearing dual-listed numbers (400/500) must provide students who are enrolled for 500-level credit with graduate-level learning. Expectations for learning outcomes in the graduate component of dual listed (400/500 level) courses are the same as for stand-alone 500-level courses. A distinction must be made between learning outcomes for students taking the course for undergraduate credit (400 level) and those taking the course for graduate credit (500 level). In most cases this distinction should include emphasis on developing skills in analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation for the 500-level credit. The differences in student learning outcomes should be accompanied by appropriate differences in learning opportunities and evaluation procedures.

500-level courses

These courses are graduate courses in support of graduate certificate/endorsement/specialization or master’s degree programs.

Undergraduates of exceptional scholastic achievements may, outside of an Accelerated Undergraduate to Master’s Pathway (AUMP), program be admitted to these courses on the approval of the instructor and they may, if admitted, under some conditions, use a limited number of these courses toward a graduate certificate/endorsement/specialization or a master’s degree program. These courses have one or more of the following characteristics:

• They require upper division prerequisites in the discipline.
• They require an extensive theoretical base in the discipline.
• They increase or re-examine the existing knowledge or database of the discipline.
• They present core components or important peripheral components of the discipline at an advanced level.

600-level courses

These are graduate courses available for use by graduate and AUMP students, for graduate certificate/endorsement/specialization or master’s degree programs. In addition to exhibiting the characteristics of 500-level courses, these courses typically have increased level of sophistication on developing skills in analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation.

At least 50 percent of coursework in a graduate degree program must be 600 level.

700-level courses

These are graduate courses offered principally in support of doctoral-level instructional programs but also are available for use on graduate certificate or master’s level degree programs. In addition to exhibiting the characteristics of 600-level courses, these courses typically require 600-level prerequisites and they build on and increase the information presented in 600-level courses.

At least 50 percent of coursework in a doctoral degree program must be 700 level.

Blanket-Numbered Courses

Blanket-numbered courses have a zero-middle digit. See Limitations on Special Arrangement “0” Courses (G-11) regarding course limits.

• Research (601 or 701) is for research that is not part of the thesis. Data obtained from such research should not be incorporated into the thesis.
• Thesis (603 or 703) covers thesis research and writing. A student may register for thesis credit each term.
• Reading and Conference (605 or 705)
• Professional Projects (606 or 706) are used for special work not given under a formal course number.
• Seminar (607 or 707) is used both for departmental seminars and for special group work not given in a formal course.
• Workshop (608 or 708) is usually a special, short-term course covering a variety of topics.
• Practicum/Internships (609 or 709) is used for courses whose emphasis is the application of academic theory to the work environment.

Accelerated Undergraduate Masters Pathway (AUMP)

Purpose:

To allow qualified WOU undergraduate students that wish to pursue a master’s program at WOU immediately after completing their undergraduate degree the opportunity to apply graduate coursework towards the completion of their undergraduate and master’s degrees.

Criteria for acceptance and continuation in the AUMP:

• Fully admitted undergraduates of senior standing
• Cumulative WOU GPA of 3.2 or above
• Pursuing an undergraduate program identified as participating in an approved AUMP
• Meets any requirements set by the graduate program that is more than the stated minimum requirements
• Undergraduate students who have been accepted to an accelerated undergraduate master’s pathway must complete all of their bachelor’s degree requirements and graduate within 12 months of the first day of the term in which they begin taking masters courses as part of the accelerated program. Students who fail to do so will undergo a progress review and may be dismissed from the accelerated program.

Provisions:

• 500- and 600-level courses that may count toward both the bachelor’s and master’s programs will be determined through collaboration of designated faculty members in each program.
• AUMP students may take a maximum of 16 graduate credits while classified as an undergraduate.
  • Minimum grade of B (3.0) or better is required for a course to apply to the master’s level program
  • Courses graded on a Pass/No Credit or Satisfactory/No Credit basis are not eligible for use in AUMP programs.
• The number of graduate credits earned in the AUMP program that can be applied to a master’s program will be determined by the graduate program and academic regulation G-18.
• The number of graduate credits earned in the AUMP program that can be applied to an undergraduate program will be determined by the undergraduate program.

Cost:

Undergraduates accepted into AUMP will pay at the undergraduate rate for the approved AUMP courses they take while still an undergraduate.

Upon full admission as a master’s student applicable graduate tuition rates apply.

Graduate Student Expectations (G-9)

Professional Code of Conduct

Graduate School Standards of Professional Behavior and Communication:

Graduate students enrolled at Western Oregon University are expected to conform to basic regulations and policies developed to govern the behavior of students as members of the university community. Violations of the regulations subject a student to appropriate disciplinary or judicial action. Refer to the Code of Student Responsibility for detailed expectations. Additional information regarding the regulations and procedures for disciplinary action and appeal are available via the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards website.

Grade Expectations:

Although grades of C+, C and C- are below the graduate standard, up to eight hours may be counted as credit toward a graduate degree if the course(s) was/were taken through Western Oregon University. Grades below a B- cannot be transferred into a WOU graduate program from another accredited university or college. A maximum of 15 credits of non-degree graduate coursework can be applied to an endorsement or degree program.

The graduate student must always maintain a B (3.00 GPA) average on the courses fulfilling the degree requirements (courses listed on the student’s graduate program plan of study). A department/program can establish more rigorous policies concerning the use of C grades in a degree program and/or overall minimum GPA requirements. Grades of D or F indicate unacceptable work and carry no graduate credit. A graduate student whose overall GPA falls below 3.00 or receives a grade of D or F must submit a petition with a plan of remediation to the Graduate Studies Committee. The petition and plan of remediation must be approved by the student’s adviser or program coordinator.

A grade of P/NC can be used by only a limited number of degree programs that have received special authorization and that can be counted as credit toward a graduate degree.

Graduation and Commencement (G-10)

A graduate student graduates from WOU when the Office of the Registrar determines that all university requirements have been met. Graduation occurs at the close of any academic term. Upon graduation, a student’s academic record is closed.

Commencement exercises at WOU take place once a year in June. Graduate students who are within one to two courses of completing degree requirements at Western Oregon University may participate in the Commencement ceremony if they have a plan on file in the Graduate Programs Office indicating that those courses will be completed during the subsequent summer term or fall terms. Students must also have completed comprehensive exams.

Applying to Graduate (G-10a)

Each graduate student must file, via Wolf Web, an Application for Completion of Graduate Program with the Graduate Programs Office. This application also serves as the application to complete the final evaluation procedures. This is due one term before completion. For specific deadlines, refer to the Graduate Student Calendar on the Graduate Programs website.
Additional general information is available on the website at graduate.wou.edu.

Students who have completed more than half of their graduate program are eligible to apply for graduation. Once your application is submitted, you are responsible for informing the Graduate Programs Office of any changes in your intended graduation term, change in name or address and other graduation related information.   

Definitions: Graduation vs. Commencement (G-10b)

Graduation and commencement are not the same. A student graduates from WOU after applying to graduate and after the Office of the Registrar determines that all university academic requirements have been met. Students may graduate at the end of any academic term.

Commencement is WOU’s annual ceremony in June that recognizes students’ completion of degrees. Students who are eligible and wish to participate, must submit all required information by the deadline posted on the Graduate Programs Office online calendar. Failure to submit the necessary information by published deadlines may result in the student’s name not being included in the published Commencement program. Students receiving their specializations, endorsements or certificates only are not eligible to participate in Commencement. Commencement is held for graduate students receiving graduate degrees.

Degree Evaluation System (G-10c)

Degree Tracks is the official degree evaluation system for students and advisers. Students use this online system to check their progress toward their degree. For information on how to access and use Degree Tracks, see the Office of the Registrar website.

Resolve Incomplete Grades (G-10d)

All incomplete grades must be completed and the grades entered by the instructor, NO LATER than the end of the term graduation is planned or the default grade will be applied.

However, an unresolved incomplete grade may prevent graduation because the default grade lowers a student’s GPA or prevents a needed requirement from being met. Students are strongly encouraged to resolve incomplete grades within the shortest possible time to prevent problems closer to graduation.

Commencement Attendance (G-10e)

Students are required to declare their intention to participate in June commencement according to the deadline specified on the Academic Calendar on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Students who have graduated in the previous summer, fall or winter terms are eligible to attend the Commencement ceremony. Students who have applied to graduate in spring, summer, or fall immediately following spring term may also participate in the ceremony.

Limitations on Special Arrangement “0” Courses (G-11)

A maximum of 15 credit hours of workshops, special arrangement and practicum courses may be applied to a graduate degree program. These courses must be pre-approved by the appropriate adviser. Fifteen credit hours of 506, 606, 706, 507, 607, 707, 508, 608, 708, 509, 609, and 709 courses may be included in a program. Additionally, there is a limit of nine credit hours of any one number.

Minimum Registration (G-12)

Minimum Registration Requirement

Minimum Registration Degree-seeking graduate students are required to register once per academic year until all degree requirements have been completed unless on an academic leave of absence, degree-seeking graduate students who fail to maintain the minimum registration requirement will be regarded by the university as having resigned from the program. Students who later wish to resume studying toward the degree must reapply for admission to their graduate program using the Re-enrollment Application. Readmission cannot be guaranteed and is subject to program review. Programs may require students to complete a new program application.

Graduate students involved in activities requiring any faculty time or library or use of other University resources are required to register for a minimum of one graduate credit during each term in which these activities occur. This includes students engaged in any phase or aspect of research, exit project, or thesis. A minimum of one graduate credit of registration is required any term (including summer) when students are completing a major milestone for the degree such as submission of a final project, thesis defense, taking comprehensive exams, and graduation. Individual graduate programs may have additional enrollment requirements relative to the amount of time required of the faculty or University resources.

Western Oregon University employees receiving tuition waivers in pursuit of their graduate degree are exempt from the Minimum Registration Requirement, however, employees involved in activities requiring any faculty time or use of university resources are required to register for a minimum of one graduate credit during each term in which these activities occur. This includes employees engaged in any phase or aspect of research, exit project, or thesis. A minimum of one graduate credit of registration is required any term (including summer) when students are completing a major milestone for the degree such as submission of a final project, thesis defense, taking comprehensive exams, and graduation.

Appeal

In the case of extraordinarily extenuating circumstances, students may appeal the provisions of the Minimum Registration Requirement policy by submitting a detailed request in writing to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

Implementation of Minimum Registration Policy

Beginning Summer 2023, all graduate degree seeking students are subject to the minimum registration policy. Students pursuing certificate-only, specialization-only, or endorsement-only are excluded from this policy.

Unauthorized Break in Registration

A graduate student who takes an unauthorized break in registration by failing to maintain registration once per academic year or by failing to obtain an Academic Leave of Absence (see below) will relinquish their graduate standing in the university. Students who wish to have their graduate standing reinstated will be required to apply for readmission and pay the application fee. The readmission application must be reviewed and approved by the student’s program coordinator and Director of Graduate Student Success & Recruitment. Acceptance back into a graduate program is not guaranteed even if the student departed in good standing The petitioner for readmission will be required to meet university and departmental admission requirements and degree completion requirements that are in effect on the date of readmission.

Academic Leave of Absence

Graduate students in good standing may request an Academic Leave of Absence to suspend their program of study for a good cause (i.e.  illness, temporary departure for employment, family issues, financial need, personal circumstances). Students must submit an Academic Leave of Absence form indicating which term(s) they intend to be on-leave. Students may request more than one leave, but combined leaves cannot exceed six terms. The request must be reviewed and approved by the Program Coordinator, Director of Graduate Student Success & Recruitment, and the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. Students who are granted Academic Leave of Absence may not use university resources or faculty time. A leave of absence does not waive or extend the time limit for completion of a graduate program.

Student Fees

Students on Academic Leave of Absence status are not subject to tuition & fees for the terms they are on leave.

Financial Aid Students who are registered for a minimum of one credit, do not meet the minimum requirement of half-time for federal loans, and therefore are not eligible for federal financial aid. Students who follow the process for an Academic Leave of Absence, will be treated as a withdrawal for financial aid purposes. A student who does not attend through at least 60% of the term will have their aid recalculated and aid will be returned as required with the Return of Title IV calculation. The student will then be financially responsible for paying these funds back to Western Oregon University.

Non-Degree Student (G-13)

Students who are working toward a planned program of graduate study, on or off campus, must file for admission as outlined above if they expect to complete licensure requirements or become candidates for a degree. Effective Fall 2014, allows a maximum number of 15 credits of non-degree graduate coursework to be applied to an endorsement, certificate, specialization, and/or degree program.

Petition Process (G-14)

Students that receive more than 8 total credits of C’s, more than 9 credits of incompletes, a GPA lower than 3.0 or a D/F grade will be removed from their program and required to petition for re-enrollment. This process is conducted at the end of each term and students will be notified immediately of their academic standing via email to their student account. Students are required to submit a petition via the General Graduate Student Petition form to the Graduate Programs Office by the deadline given. Students that fail to meet the deadline can petition afterwards for reinstatement in the following term pending approval by the committee which is composed of three members of the graduate faculty.

Students are allowed to submit no more than two petitions during their academic program. If a student exceeds this limit they will be removed from their program and required to take a minimum of one academic year off their studies. After this leave of absence, they can submit a petition that includes a plan of remediation to be considered for reinstatement. Petitions for reinstatement require program coordinator support. No reinstatement is guaranteed.

Re-enrollment (G-15)

Students who have not enrolled in courses for more than four terms will have their student status inactivated as per the Minimum Registration Requirement policy. They will be required to submit a re-enrollment application along with adviser approval, in order to enroll in courses or have their degree, endorsement, specialization or certificate recorded with the Graduate Programs Office.

Residency Credit Requirement (G-16)

All graduate programs will include at least ⅔ of their graduate credits from WOU.

Special Regulations Concerning Incomplete Grades (G-17)

See university regulation Incomplete Grades (W-2c)  

• The instructor of a course has the final decision regarding the appropriateness and willingness to award a grade of incomplete.
• A graduate student with more than nine (9) hours of uncleared incomplete coursework (except for student teaching, internship, thesis, field study and/or professional project) will have a hold placed on registration until a petition has been submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research and a remediation plan approved.
• A student requesting a grade of incomplete and the course instructor issuing a grade of incomplete must both sign a contract that specifies:

1. The course assignments still need to be submitted to remove the incomplete grade.
2. A timeline for completion of course requirements:
   • A student who has a grade of incomplete in a course that is a prerequisite for a subsequent course may not enroll in the subsequent course until the grade of incomplete is removed or must receive the permission of the instructor to be allowed to enroll into the subsequent course.
   • Any graduate program can decide to not allow a student to register for their final professional field experience (student teaching, internship, etc.) on the basis that incomplete grades have not been cleared before the beginning of the final professional field experience.
   • The Graduate Programs Office will not allow students to sit for their final comprehensive examination until past incomplete grades have been cleared.

Transfer Credits (G-18)

Transfer credits are those taken pre-admission to a graduate program at WOU or at another regionally accredited university.

Transfer credits, outside of a defined Accelerated Undergraduate Master’s Pathway, must be documented with an official sealed transcript from a regionally accredited university, approved by the student’s program coordinator, and should be submitted and approved early in the student’s program to the Graduate Programs Office. Transfer credits are subject to approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

Courses to be transferred must be graduate level. It is the responsibility of the student wishing to transfer the course to provide necessary documentation to satisfy WOU guidelines.

Graduate students must earn a minimum of 2/3 of the credits required for their graduate degree at WOU, after formal admission to the graduate degree program. Individual programs may have stricter limitations. Pre-admission and transfer credits for graduate degrees must meet the following requirements: must be a letter grade of B- or higher and must total no more than 1/3 of the required credits for a graduate degree. Eligible WOU credits applied toward a completed graduate certificate can be applied toward a subsequent graduate degree without counting toward the pre-admission limits.

A maximum of 15 credits of non-degree graduate coursework can be applied to an endorsement or degree program with adviser approval.

*Credits from non-accredited colleges and universities cannot be used in a graduate program.