Academic Information for Graduate Students

Student Status and Responsibility

Student Responsibility

Fulfillment of all program requirements is the student’s responsibility.
Asbury provides academic advising resources for students, such as Degree Progress Audit, Program Sheets, and Academic Advising. While these and other academic support resources are available to students as a courtesy, they are intended as student planning tools only and do not constitute final official degree requirements. The responsibility for understanding and fulfilling all degree requirements rests entirely upon the student. Any error in printed materials or digital/online records should be reported immediately by the student to the Registrar’s Office.

Asbury Community Life

Information regarding Community Expectations for students enrolled in the Graduate Program can be found on the website: www.asbury.edu/academics/degrees/online/community-life and in the specific program Student Handbook.

Asbury Email Account is the official means of communicating with academic office representatives and faculty unless meeting in person on campus.

Class Attendance

In order to assure maximum benefit from class instruction, it is important for students to attend class and complete readings and assignments. Instructors will explain to students at the beginning of each course their attendance expectations and grading policies with respect to absences from class sessions. Students are responsible for class attendance including punctuality, participation, collegiality, notifying instructors of absences in a timely manner, etc.

See expectations of Academic Integrity under Academic Information for all Students.

Full-Time Academic Status and Load for Asbury University

• The normal academic load per semester varies by specific graduate program.
• 6 or more credits per semester is considered full-time for all Asbury graduate programs.
• 3-5 credits per semester is considered half-time for all Asbury graduate programs.
• Financial Aid is awarded based on these levels for Asbury graduate students: full-time or half-time.

(External reporting adheres to the federal definition of full-time and part-time.)

Class Registration Procedures for Graduate Students

It is the student’s responsibility to verify the accuracy of their class schedule on the Student Portal (portal.asbury.edu) prior to the Drop/Add deadline for the term and to make any necessary schedule adjustments prior to this deadline.

• All attendees of a course (student or auditor) are to be officially registered and on the class roster.
• Students will be expected to attend the classes on their schedule as of the close of Drop/Add (and only those classes) and will be billed and graded accordingly.
• Students will NOT receive a grade or credit for courses in which they are not properly registered.
• Courses may not be registered or added to the schedule after the close of Drop/Add.

NOTE: Asbury University reserves the right to change course offerings, and to cancel any course not selected by a sufficient number of students at the time offered.

Registration Changes During the Official Drop/Add Period

1. The official Drop/Add periods and the dates of the Last Day to Drop or Add a class are listed in the Academic Calendars  found at the front of the Academic Catalog.
2. Classes starting on a date after the Official Drop/Add period closes may only be withdrawn or exchanged.
3. Classes must be registered before the end of the official Drop/Add period published for the program.
4. A student can unregister a class during the official Drop/Add period via online registration on the student portal. The course will be removed from their schedule and they will not be charged for that particular class.
5. If the student wishes to completely withdraw from all classes at the institution any time after the first day of classes, please see Withdrawal from the University to completely withdraw.
6. No class can be unregistered after the Drop/Add deadline. After the Official Drop/Add period has ended, the class can be withdrawn with a grade of ‘W’ up to the deadline for class withdrawal. Withdrawing from a class must be officially completed through the Registrar’s Office. See ‘Withdrawal From A Class after the Drop/Add period’ for official process.
7. Students in a graduate program which has classes scheduled to start after the drop/add period ends may be allowed to exchange later classes (for the same credit amount), or add a later class, BEFORE THE CLASS START DATE, at the discretion of the Registrar.
8. Students in the graduate program who wish to drop/withdraw from a modular course that meets early in the term but retain a modular course that meets later in the term, even if done during the drop/add period, must contact Financial Aid to ensure continuation of aid.

NOTE: Changing enrollment status from full-time to half-time, or less, when unregistering or dropping a course may impact financial aid eligibility. It is the student’s responsibility to contact Financial Aid to see if any change in registration will affect aid.

Withdrawing from a Class After the Drop/Add Period

The Drop/Add period and Last Date to withdraw from a class are listed in the Academic Calendars .

For classes with start and end dates that are not the full semester or are not in one of the regular class module periods, the last date to withdraw without a grade of “F” is before the two-thirds point of the class.

1. A student must contact the Registrar’s Office to withdraw from any class.

1. Email registrar@asbury.edu
2. The instructor cannot withdraw the student. Notifying the instructor or advisor does not constitute an official withdrawal from a class.
3. A student who stops attending a class without giving official withdrawal notice to the Registrar’s Office will remain registered and receive a grade of ‘F’ at the end of the course. 
4. The official date of withdrawing the class is determined by the student’s date of notification to the Registrar’s Office.
5. To withdraw from all registered classes, see withdrawing from the university.

2. Students must withdraw before the Last Date to Withdraw without a grade of ‘F’ set for their program and class session. The official Last Date to Withdraw from the class sessions for each program is listed in the Academic Calendars  (Traditional Undergrad, APS, or Graduate). For classes with start and end dates that do not follow the official class sessions or modules listed in the calendar, the last date to withdraw without a grade of F is before the two-thirds point of the class. After the last date to withdraw or after two-thirds of the class sessions have passed, the student must receive the earned grade for the class.
3. Once a course ends or a grade is recorded, the course may not be withdrawn.
4. Students completing below full-time hours may have their financial aid reduced and should, therefore, check with Financial Aid before making the decision to withdraw the course.
5. A grade of ‘W’ is recorded on the transcript for any withdrawn course. The course will not factor into the calculation of the GPA but will factor into satisfactory progress for financial aid.
6. Students receive no refund of tuition and fees for an individual course which is withdrawn after the official Drop/Add date unless completely withdrawing from all courses at the institution.
7. Students may not unregister/cancel enrollment in a class after the Drop/Add period for the class has passed. The class and hours remain on the schedule as part of their original registered hours for billing and financial aid. 

1. Classes that have started can only be withdrawn after the Drop/Add period.
2. Modular classes which have not yet started, but which will start after the official Drop/Add period, can be withdrawn, but may be exchanged for another class that has not yet started.

8. Students in programs with modular classes who wish to withdraw from the beginning or middle modular courses but continue with a class later in a semester should contact Financial Aid to ensure continuation of aid in classes that follow the withdrawn class.

To Withdraw from all courses see Withdrawal from the University under Academic Resources for all Students.  Email registrar@asbury.edu for information about withdrawing from the university.

Administrative Withdrawal

The Provost or designate may, at their sole discretion, involuntarily withdraw a student for the following reasons: (1) academic reasons; (2) financial reasons; (3) administrative reasons; (4) disciplinary issues, including but not limited to violation of University policies and regulations; and (5) failure to attend class and/or engage in coursework. Students who do not attend the first two*​ weeks of any class may be administratively dropped from their courses, and students who fail to engage in coursework totaling 14 days in a 15-week course (or 2 total days in an 8-week course) may be administratively withdrawn from the university (all courses).

An administratively withdrawn student will receive a posted grade of ‘Withdraw’ (W) for the withdrawn course(s). Students who are administratively withdrawn are wholly responsible for any and all consequences of their withdrawal, including but not limited to financial obligations such as tuition, room and board, financial aid or student account.

*Consistent with reporting attendance for students to receive financial aid.

Other Registration Procedures

Registering for Contract Courses

Contract courses are defined as all non-classroom instruction for which credit is given including, but not limited to: Independent Studies, Directed Studies, Practicums, and Internships, as well as additional non-scheduled sections of courses on the semester schedule. Any course where the course description indicates ‘Contract Course’ will follow these procedures: 

1. All contract courses are subject to the same policies as regular classroom courses with reference to Drop/Add dates, term dates, course start and end dates, tuition charges, and grading deadlines. Once set, contract course dates may not be altered. 
2. All contract courses require an appropriately approved contract created between student and instructor. The Contract Course Student Signature form is available in the Registrar’s Office, or the student can send an email from their Asbury account with the pertinent information included.
3. The Contract form requires the signature of the student, and the agreement of the instructor of record. It is the student’s responsibility to provide this information to the instructor; the instructor will then input the Contract Course request into Curriculog, which will route the request to the department chair for approval prior to submission to the Registrar’s Office.  
4. To register for a contract course, the fully approved contract form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the Drop/Add deadline for the term. 

Graduate Program Requirements and Limitations

1. Each graduate program determines if any contract courses are allowed in their program.
2. If allowed, contract courses used as requirements in a program should have specific pre-requisite and maximum credit limitations set by the program.
3. Contract courses can only be taken to fulfill a degree requirement at the graduate level and cannot serve as extra general electives.

Independent Study and Directed Instruction

1. Independent Study is individualized study on a topic of interest beyond the content of regular course offerings. Requires a minimum of 1 - 3 meetings with instructor during the semester. [Registered with course numbers ___ 591/691]
2. There are two forms of Directed Instruction:

1. Directed Study - a faculty-directed study on a topic of interest beyond the content of regular course offerings. Requires a minimum of 50 minutes per week with instructor during the semester. [Registered with course numbers ___ 592/692]
2. Directed Course - a faculty-directed individualized offering of a regular course not available in a semester, using the course’s regular syllabus. Requires a minimum of 50 minutes per week with instructor during the semester. [Registered with the Asbury University Catalog course number] The following factors will govern the approval decisions which will be made by the Department Chair and Dean: validity of need (i.e. required for graduation), inability to substitute an appropriate available course, availability of a teacher, and the student’s ability and willingness to meet the demands of directed study.

Internships/Apprenticeships

Internships/Apprenticeships which are set up on an individual basis will require a Course Contract form to register for credit. These courses involve time spent in practical experiences and work. These are only available in specific graduate programs.

• Internships/Apprenticeships are subject to the same policies as regular classroom courses with reference to Drop/Add dates, tuition charges, and grading deadlines.
• Students should work with their program advisor to establish an apprenticeship’s requirements in work hours, the work location, and required documentation for grading.
• Students are required to register for an internship/apprenticeship during the academic term within which the internship activity ends and the grades will be expected.

Graduate Theses/Creative Projects Registration

Graduate thesis course [Registered course number ‘799’] allows graduate students working on master’s level research, theses or creative projects to remain enrolled until satisfactory completion of the requirement. Master’s students must remain actively enrolled while writing or working on their thesis/project.

• Each graduate program has established the minimum credits that will be required for that program’s thesis/creative project.
• The thesis advisor works with the student to develop a plan of study to set the pace/terms in which the individual student should complete the required number of credits for the thesis/creative project.
• IMPORTANT: The plan of study must allow for all submission and review of the thesis/creative project by the graduate faculty to be completed before the end date of the final registered ‘799’ class.
• If the thesis/creative project is not finished in the set time plan, the student will continue to register for the 1.0 credit in 799 each semester until ‘passing’ is reported to the Registrar’s Office by the graduate faculty on the Thesis/Creative Project Approval Form.

Extended Enrollment To Complete The Thesis/Creative Project

• If the graduate faculty determines the thesis/creative project is not complete or is not ready for review before the class end date, the student must register for 1.0 additional credit in ‘799’ in the next semester.
• Student must register each semester in a ‘799’ until satisfactorily completed as determined by the graduate faculty (may skip summer term only).
• Students who sit out a fall or spring semester will have to apply for readmission to return and must register again for 1.0 credit ‘799’ to continue the process to complete the thesis/creative project.
• The thesis/creative project must be finished within 6-9 years (depending on the program) of starting in the degree program to meet the program graduation requirement. Shorter deadlines may be imposed by specific graduate programs.

Grading the Thesis/Creative Project/Research Project

• The ‘799’ Thesis/Creative Project course will be assigned the letter grade of ‘L’ (load credit) by the Registrar, designating the course as in ‘load’ for the student.  
• The ‘799’ class may not be assigned an incomplete grade to finish work at a later date. If the submission and faculty review is not completed by the end date of the registered term, the student must register for an additional 1.0 credit thesis/project class. No late submissions are allowed.
• Upon successful completion of the thesis/creative project/research project review by the graduate faculty, the graduate department chair/program director completes the Thesis/Creative Project Approval Form and submits the final approval to the Registrar. The Registrar records a passing grade of ‘P’ in place of the ‘L’ recorded as the final grade for the last registered 799, indicating the student has satisfactorily completed the thesis/creative project for the program.

Requesting to Repeat a Course

Registering to repeat a course requires assistance from the Registrar’s Office. See Grades section for Repeat Grading policies. Email registrar@asbury.edu to register.

Requesting Course Exchanges in Modular Program Courses

In the programs that have modular classes, students may have the option to exchange future courses which have not yet begun.

1. The exchange must occur prior to the start date of both courses involved.
2. Both courses involved in the exchange must be worth the same number of credits.
3. Students must contact the Registrar’s Office to make this adjustment to their official registration. (registrar@asbury.edu)
4. Students should not attend courses for which they are not officially registered.

Undergraduate Student Permission to Take Graduate Level Courses

Qualified undergraduate seniors who demonstrate outstanding scholastic ability, may be permitted to enroll for a graduate course (500-level) simultaneously with undergraduate courses with permission from the graduate program. See Academic Information for Undergraduates  for more information.

Grades and Satisfactory Academic Progress

Examinations 

All assignments are to be due by and all examinations must be given by the posted last date of the class. Posted class end dates may not be extended. No final examination or academic activity can be scheduled after the class end date. Graduate courses typically schedule any final examination in the last few days of the class.

Grade Scale

The grades which are assigned to student performance in a particular course are listed below with their respective quality point values. Scholastic standing is defined as the ratio of total quality points to the total semester hour credits attempted, excluding transfer hours and non-graded credit hours (credit in a credit/no-credit course). For each hour of graded credit, quality points are assigned as follows:

*The grade of “F’” is awarded for a student who completed the class but failed in accordance with syllabus standards, whether due to academic performance or irregular attendance/participation.

**The grade of “FN” is awarded to a student who ceased attendance/participation and consequently failed to complete the course objectives.

The following grades are not counted in the calculation of the grade point average.

The Class Grading Window

All assignments are to be due by the posted last day of class, and all examinations must be given. Posted class end dates may not be extended. No final examination or academic activity can be scheduled after the class end date. Grades are issued no later than one week after the posted last day of a class. Any perceived discrepancies should be reported to the course instructor. Changes must be reported by the instructor to the Registrar’s Office in writing within 30 days of the posting of the grade.

Grade Changes

Final course grades may be changed only in the case of miscalculation of points. Re-evaluation of a student’s work or late submission of work by a student is not normal grounds for changing a final course grade. Within 30 days of posting a final grade, an instructor may change a final course grade by filing the appropriate form with the Registrar. This change must be submitted by the instructor and approved by the responsible department chair. After 30 days of posting a final grade, an instructor desiring to change the grade must seek additional approval of the responsible Dean over their School or College and file such a request with the Registrar. These requests may be referred to the Provost, whose decision will be considered final. After the 30 day change of grade period, or after graduation has been posted, all grades are final and permanent.

Incomplete Grades

1. A temporary grade of incomplete (‘I’) may be granted by the Dean of the appropriate college/school where the course resides. An incomplete may be granted, at the instructor’s recommendation, due to extenuating circumstances that interrupt the semester, such as equipment breakdown or medical crisis. Quality of work or failure to meet deadlines is not a criterion for an incomplete and will not be granted on such basis. A student seeking an incomplete in more than one course may only be granted by the Vice Provost. The end date of a course may not be extended outside of an approved incomplete.
2. Faculty or students anticipating the need for an incomplete should contact the appropriate Dean of the college prior to the completion of the course. Once approved by the appropriate Dean, the faculty member submits the incomplete request to the Registrar.
3. An incomplete cannot be initiated by the student after the course’s end date. Once an incomplete is granted, the student is informed of the incomplete. It is then the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor and make satisfactory arrangements to complete the outstanding work. A student who receives an ‘I’ grade must complete the work within 60 days of the course’s end date. Once an incomplete is granted, a student may not request to be withdrawn from the incomplete. A final grade of ‘F’ will be recorded for students who do not complete the outstanding work by the deadline.

Repeat Course Grading Policy

1. Registering to repeat a course requires assistance from the Registrar’s Office (registrar@asbury.edu).
2. Students in all Graduate programs may repeat a grade of ‘C’ or below.
3. No more than two graduate courses may be repeated by a student in a graduate program.
4. The repeated course must be repeated at Asbury University with a course deemed equivalent by the Registrar’s Office.
5. The higher earned grade in any repeated course will count in the computation of the cumulative grade point average.
6. Credit hours in repeated courses will count only once academically. Financial Aid will count both course attempts in total attempted credits for financial aid calculations.
7. Repeated courses will be indicated as such on the permanent record.

Academic Standards, Probation & Suspension

The Registrar’s Office has the responsibility to monitor academic progress for all students enrolled in the University.

Academic Standards for Graduate Students

Scholarship standards outline expectations for graduate students to remain in good academic standing based on grade point average.

1. Credit hours earned with a grade less than ‘C’ will not count as credit toward the graduate degree.
2. The master’s degree requires a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on all course work.
3. At the end of each academic term (including summer term), the academic standing of all master’s students will be reviewed by the Provost.
4. A student who falls below the 3.00 grade point average, term or cumulative, will be placed on academic probation for the next term of attendance.
5. Two consecutive terms of failure to maintain the 3.00 grade point average, term or cumulative, will result in the student’s suspension from graduate study for a period of one semester.
6. A graduate student who earns less than a 2.00 GPA in a single semester may be suspended at the end of that semester without a period of academic probation.
7. Any student readmitted after such a suspension must maintain at least a 3.30 term grade point average until his/her cumulative grade point average reaches the required 3.00.
8. A student will not be re-admitted after a second suspension.

Degree Application and Commencement Eligibility

Degree Application Form

All students who are in the final year of completing a degree must complete the degree application by the stated deadline. Commencement information may be found online: www.asbury.edu/about/offices/administration/provost/commencement/

For each degree, all degree candidates must be listed in an annual spring commencement program to be officially be recognized for the conferring of a degree.

Application Deadlines

• To graduate in December and be listed in commencement the following Spring (required - regardless of commencement attendance), the degree application deadline is October 15.
• To graduate in May or August and be listed in Spring Commencement of the same year (required - regardless of commencement attendance), the degree application deadline is February 15.
• If the expected graduation date must be moved to a new academic/commencement year, a new degree application is required to be submitted by the next posted deadline. 

Final decisions regarding commencement eligibility for the annual Spring Commencement are made each year on February 15 based on remaining graduation requirements, commencement eligibility criteria listed below, and the information provided by the student on the degree application.

Eligibility Criteria for Degree Candidates to Graduate & be listed in Commencement

[Please refer to the Degree Requirements sections in each Graduate Program for the specific graduation requirements.]

To be listed in the annual Spring Commencement, a student must meet the following criteria:

1. Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00.
2. Students must file a Degree Application with the Registrar’s Office for the correct academic/commencement year of their expected graduation date by the posted deadline listed above. Questions regarding the Degree Application should be directed to registrar.info@asbury.edu. If the expected graduation date is moved to a new academic/commencement year due to a change in course plan, unfulfilled requirements, or a missed deadline, a new degree application is required to be submitted by the next posted deadline.
3. Be approved at the vote of the Faculty Assembly for degree conferral.

• Eligible degree candidates are presented by the Registrar to the Faculty Assembly at a standing meeting during the fall/spring semester.
• If a student misses the degree application deadline or faculty vote, the student’s expected graduation date will be updated to the next available fall/spring term. The student will be presented at the Faculty Assembly vote that corresponds with their new graduation date.

4. Will have completed all requirements for a degree by one of the following:

• Have completed all degree requirements and graduated the previous December.
• Are enrolled in the current spring semester for ALL remaining requirements which will be completed by the Spring commencement.
• Will have no more than 7 semester hours remaining to complete at Asbury University after the Spring Commencement AND should be able to complete those 7 hours in the summer term. [For the M.A. and M.A.T.in Education: student must be finished with or be enrolled in spring in EDG 680 Research and Development BEFORE the Spring Commencement.]
• NOTE: Some graduate programs may require all work to be completed before participating in the commencement ceremony.

5. Have approval for graduation by the program faculty. See specific requirements for each graduate program.

Ordering Commencement Ceremony Regalia

Graduate commencement master’s hood & gown must be purchased for a fee by each graduate candidate participating in commencement. Ordering commencement regalia is part of the degree application process.

Graduate Transfer Credit

All official transcripts presented to Asbury University for admissions and awarding of credit must be sent directly from the other institution to Asbury University. Student-delivered transcripts and scores may be used for advising; however, they are NOT acceptable as final, official transcripts for the transfer of credit.

General Policies for Transfer Credit in Graduate Programs

• No more than 35% of required graduate hours may come from graduate work outside the Asbury University graduate program. At least 65% of the credit for the graduate degree must be completed as a graduate student at Asbury University.
• Each individual graduate program may have stricter limits on the use of transfer credit from other graduate institutions and outside sources.
• Transfer credit is only granted for degree-seeking students; no transfer is evaluated for non-degree-seeking students.
• Graduate transfer credit is processed at the time of enrollment based on the recommendation of the specific graduate program director who will evaluate the official transcripts from the incoming student’s prior institutions. The graduate program director forwards the recommendation to the Registrar for approval and processing by the end of the student’s first semester.

Transfer Of Courses From Another Graduate Program

1. Only graduate credits completed at a regionally-accredited graduate school may be transferred to the graduate program.
2. Outside credit can only be transferred from official transcripts mailed by the other institution or sent by official electronic transfer directly to Asbury University. Credit will not be accepted from faxed, copied, emailed or hand delivered transcripts.
3. Transfer courses must be equivalent to Asbury University courses and meet all accreditation requirements for the respective program.
4. Only graduate courses with a grade of ‘B’ or better may be transferred.
5. Any graduate-level course older than 10 years at the time of program admission is ineligible for transfer and use towards any degree above the Bachelor’s level.
6. No graduate courses may be pre-approved to take elsewhere for transfer after matriculation to the Asbury University graduate program.
7. A graduate-level course recorded on the academic transcript in one program (at Asbury or at another institution) may be transferred and used only in one additional program, provided the course meets all other transfer conditions and degree requirements.

Graduate Course Work Completed as an Undergraduate at Asbury University

1. A limited number of graduate-level courses may be completed while an undergraduate student at Asbury University that then may be considered to meet the requirements in a graduate program with certain stipulations. See Academic Information for Undergraduates  for full details.
   1. Limit of 9-12 graduate-level credits for use in one graduate program may be completed prior to earning the bachelor’s degree.
   2. The Dean of the School of Education approves all prior coursework for the education licensure credential.
2. An earned grade of ‘B-’ or better in the undergraduate enrollment is required for each course to count toward graduate program requirements.
3. The GPA of the graduate course(s) taken in the undergraduate enrollment will count toward the undergraduate and graduate DPAs.

Credit For Prior Learning - Specific Graduate Programs Only

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) is not accepted in all graduate program offerings. Please refer to specific program advisors for details and eligibility.

Credit is potentially awarded for knowledge gained through employment, training, and life experiences as self-assessed and documented in a portfolio. Students write about what they learned in the work environment at a level that evidences graduate credit. Any credit awarded is academic recognition of graduate-level learning done outside the formal classrooms of Asbury University. There will be a cost to apply for CPL credit. The cost will vary by program area, faculty time required, and number of faculty involved in the learning assessment. A typical review takes 3 hours and is completed by 2 faculty members.

1. Consideration to award CPL is contingent upon applicant showing what learning occurred through the experience. The experience itself does not warrant credit. Faculty reviewers look for academic proficiencies (what was learned) and not for AU course equivalency:
   • Evaluators will look for acquired skills and competencies (what has been learned);
   • Evaluators will make recommendations to the respective school or college dean to award credit for competencies demonstrated by the student in the self-assessment and documentation.
2. Candidates can only use experiences which occurred within the previous seven years prior to starting in the graduate program, and after the completion date of their latest undergraduate degree.
3. No more than 35% of the degree - rounded to the lower credit amount - can be counted towards a master’s degree through a combination of transfer credit and CPL. Specific graduate programs may have stricter limits on CPL usage.
4. Credit is awarded only for documented student achievement corresponding to academic proficiencies for specific courses within the Asbury’s graduate curricular offerings. The award letter identifies the specific competencies awarded, the credit hours for that competency, and the graduate level of the award.
5. CPL is granted by the school or college dean only upon the recommendation of appropriately qualified teaching faculty for the course. Persons whose responsibility is primarily recruitment are excluded from portfolio reviews intended for graduate CPL.
6. CPL experiential learning appears on students’ transcripts and may not duplicate other credit awarded to the student in fulfillment of degree requirements.
7. The institution makes no assurances regarding the number of credits to be awarded prior to the completion of the institution’s full review process.