Scholastic Standing

Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal

Each semester, the graduate director reviews the scholastic record of each student in the program and identifies students who are failing to maintain satisfactory academic standing. Students in the graduate program are expected to receive B's or A's in all coursework; two or more lower grades may result in dismissal from the program. The director notifies students in writing of any deficiency in academic standing, and describes (a) the nature of the problem (e.g., inadequate performance in graduate coursework) and (b) what specific remedies would address the problem and avert a termination decision (e.g., a minimum grade-point average in specified graduate courses to be completed within a specified period of time).

Serious ethical violations--such as a violation of the school's policy on academic integrity (see the section in this catalog on Academic Integrity) or the American Psychological Association's Code of Ethics (available at http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx) are grounds for immediate dismissal.

Student Appeals

Student appeals of the graduate director's decisions, or student grievances related to academic matters, must be presented in writing to the chair of the department within one month of the decision(s). Acceptable grounds for appeal include (1) technical error and/or (2) new information and/or (3) extenuating circumstances. Students are allowed to meet with the graduate director and are permitted to be represented by an adviser from within the university community. In consultation with the Graduate Faculty Committee and all parties to the dispute, the graduate director proposes a resolution to the matter. A student may appeal to the Graduate School-Camden in cases where he or she is dissatisfied with the resolution.

Student Complaints about Grades

A student with a complaint about a grade must submit the complaint in writing to the course instructor within one week of receiving the grade. In the event of an unsatisfactory resolution of the problem, the student may appeal to the graduate director whose decision is final. Such an appeal must be made in writing no later than one week following the date of unsatisfactory resolution.