Academic Policies

Academic Policies

1. A full-time course load is defined as 9 or more credits, and a course load of 18 credits or more requires the approval of the associate dean for the doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) program.
2. A student registered for 8 or fewer credits has part-time status. 
3. Students must be registered every semester (spring, summer, and fall). Those students who interrupt their studies must register for Matriculation Continued by contacting the School of Nursing Office of Student Services. With the approval of the associate dean for the Ph.D. program, students may register for Matriculation Continued for up to three consecutive regular semesters. Students receiving funding based on maintaining full-time status must contact the Graduate School-Newark dean's office to register for full-time Matriculation Continued.  
4. When a student applies for admission, the requirements for the degree at the time of admission become the student's program of study. Students must complete all degree requirements within the eight-year time frame for earning the Ph.D. in nursing degree. 
5. As many as 12 credits of doctoral coursework taken at other fully accredited institutions before enrollment in this program may be considered for replacing courses within the student's program. The courses must have been taken within the eight-year time limit for the degree and all must meet the stipulations outlined in this catalog. To petition for approval of substitute courses, students should complete a transfer credit request which is available on the School of Nursing website in the Student Services Forms Library. Transfer of credits will not occur until a student has completed at least 12 credits in the Ph.D. in nursing program. 
6. No more than 6 credits with a grade of C or C+ may be used in meeting the requirements for a Ph.D. in nursing degree.
   
7. Students are expected to earn grades of B or better in their coursework. An overall B average is required for graduation. 
8. The grade of incomplete (IN) can be granted when a student has not completed the assigned work in a course because of illness or other reasons satisfactory to the instructor. The grade of IN is issued at the discretion of the instructor. The IN grade must be converted to a letter grade by the end of the drop/add period in the next semester if the course with the incomplete grade is a prerequisite for a current course the student is taking. Any student failing to complete the assigned work to remove the IN grade is required to drop the subsequent course. University regulations require the removal of incomplete grades within a calendar year. If not removed, the IN remains on the transcript. THE GRADUATE SCHOOL-NEWARK AUTOMATICALLY CONVERTS ANY INCOMPLETE GRADE WHICH HAS STOOD FOR MORE THAN A YEAR TO A GRADE OF F. In unusual and compelling situations, an extension may be recommended by the graduate program director and approved by the associate dean for the Ph.D. program. A specific plan for completion is required for an extension to be approved. The Request for Incomplete Status form may be obtained from the School of Nursing Office of Student Services. 
9. All requirements for the Ph.D. in nursing degree must be completed within eight consecutive years from the date of matriculation. Should extenuating circumstances necessitate prolonging the time limit, the student's record is reviewed. Extensions are granted only to those students who have a history of satisfactory performance and can document a timetable and plan to complete the requirements within a reasonable period of time. A written request for such an extension is made to the academic adviser, who makes a recommendation on the matter to the associate dean for the Ph.D. program. The associate dean for the Ph.D. program reviews the student's record and forwards the appropriate document of approval or disapproval to the dean of the Graduate School-Newark. The final decision rests with the associate dean for the Ph.D. program of the School of Nursing.

Grade Complaints

The nursing program has procedures to ensure that all parties get due process when a grade complaint arises. Any complaints by students about their grades should be handled within the graduate program. The program's procedures give the student a chance to determine if an error was made in assigning the grade. On the other hand, they enable the instructor to explain why the grade was given. Complaints about grading practices of individual instructors are handled in the following manner:

1. Within 10 days of receiving notification of the grade, the student should meet with the instructor who recorded the grade.
2. If the two parties cannot resolve the matter, the student must file within 10 school days a written complaint with the associate dean of the Ph.D. program or a designee. 
3. The associate dean's office reviews the case and attempts to mediate the dispute. Within 10 school days of receiving the written complaint, the associate dean or designee shall consult with all parties and propose a resolution. 
4. If the student is not satisfied with the results achieved at that level, he or she can refer the matter to the Grade Grievance Committee. To support this appeal, the student must forward to the chair of the Grade Grievance Committee the previously written complaint and all materials submitted earlier in the case. 
5. To review materials the student has submitted, the Grade Grievance Committee forms a subcommittee composed solely of its members who have graduate faculty status.
6. Within 15 school days of receiving the complaint, the committee shall render a decision. In arriving at its decision, the committee may consult with anyone it chooses. In extraordinary cases, it may even ask third parties from among the faculty to review the grade in question. 
7. Any student wishing to pursue the matter further may appeal the program faculty's decision to the dean of the Graduate School-Newark. Such an appeal must be made in writing within 10 school days from the day the student received notice of the program faculty's decision. In this document, the student should outline clearly the grounds for the appeal.
8. The dean of the Graduate School-Newark shall render a decision within 10 school days of the receipt of the appeal. This decision is final.