Academic Information

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Before a degree is granted, the student must meet all the requirements of the Advisory Committee, the Major Department and the Graduate School. Students should note that graduate studies represent advanced work and research in a discipline or interdisciplinary area and should be more than a compilation of course work. Students are responsible for conforming to all published academic policies and degree requirements. They are likewise responsible for the regulations concerning the degree they plan to obtain and any special requirements within the department or academic unit. In addition, it is the student’s responsibility to conform to the University’s policies regarding the standard of work necessary to maintain enrollment in the Graduate School. The University makes every effort to provide accurate advising information. However, it is the student’s responsibility to make certain that he/she has fulfilled all graduation requirements.

Graduate students are expected to maintain at least a “B” average (3.0) in all courses in the graduate plan of study. Students who encounter academic difficulty will be warned by the Graduate School and may be discontinued in their degree program or from the University when academic standards are not maintained. Pharmacy students at the graduate level of the Doctor of Pharmacy program must maintain academic standards of progression as determined by the College of Pharmacy.

Courses numbered 300-499 are considered to be advanced undergraduate credits. These credits, may be used in graduate programs with the following provisions:

1. When applied to a graduate program, total credit for these courses will be valued at 80 percent, discarding all fractions.
   
   After such conversion, these credits are defined as “converted credits,” which may be used as graduate credit in meeting the requirements for the various degrees, provided a grade of at least “B” is obtained in each course in this series. For example, if eight credits are earned in this series, they would be equivalent to six graduate credits.
2. Courses used for converted credit must be SDSU credits and taken during the period the student is enrolled as a graduate student at this institution. These must be entered on the graduate transcript to be eligible for converted credit.
3. For the Master of Arts, Master of Science or Master of Education degrees, a maximum of seven converted credits may be applied to the graduate program. They may be applied in the major, minor, or supporting course areas.
4. For the Doctor of Philosophy degree, a maximum of ten converted credits may be applied to the graduate program. They may be applied in the major, minor, or supporting course areas, if applicable.
5. Converted credits may be applied to a graduate program only with the permission of the major advisor or Advisory Committee and Dean of the Graduate School.

Correspondence Courses - Correspondence courses are not given at the graduate level at this institution and are not permitted on a student’s Plan of Study. Generally courses delivered by television are considered to be correspondence courses, with the exception of two-way interactive television offered by this institution.

Problems Courses - A maximum of four credits in problems courses (Special Problems, independent study, etc.) may be counted toward the Master of Arts, Master of Science, or Master of Education degree. Only six credits of problems courses may be counted toward the Doctor of Philosophy degree without approval of the Graduate Dean.

Transfer of Credits - Graduate credits earned at other institutions may be applied toward an advanced degree if they were awarded a grade of at least “B” (3.0), and if they are approved by the advisor or Advisory Committee and the Dean of the Graduate School. Transfer credit is limited to Graduate credit as defined by the institution issuing the transcript. In order to be accepted by the Graduate School the offering institution must accept the credits toward their graduate program without restriction. Dual-numbered courses offered primarily for upperlevel undergraduate credit are (generally) not transferrable as graduate credit. Requests for transfer of credits are usually made at the time a Plan of Study is approved and must be supported by an official transcript filed with the Graduate School. A minimum of 60% of all credits in the program must be earned at SDSU unless the program is part of an approved joint or cooperative degree. Credits earned at another institution as a part of an approved joint or cooperative degree program will not count as transfer credits for the purposes of this
policy.

Transfer credit is not permitted for courses taken by correspondence. Independent Study, Readings, or Problems courses, Continuing Education, Outreach Programs, or Extension courses may be approved for transfer if they are regularly listed in the graduate catalog of an accredited institution and were taught by members of the Graduate Faculty of such institution. Subtitles or explanatory information will be required for approval of Independent Study and Readings courses.

Workshops - While any number of credits may be earned in workshops, a maximum of two such credits may be applied toward an advanced degree. Workshop notation on transcripts will be used for application of this limitation.

Internet Courses - SDSU will evaluate the transfer of graduate credit for graduate courses delivered and taken over the Internet on the same basis as other transfer courses. The course must be from an accredited institution as recognized by the Board of Regents policy. If credits are to be applied to an accredited SDSU program, the program in which the course was taken at another institution must also be accredited.

Credits Needed for Full-Time/Part-Time Status, not including graduate assistants:

Maximum credits graduate assistants may carry:

In calculating credit loads, audit courses and undergraduate courses are included at full value for Graduate School but are not allowable for loan deferral, full- and part-time certification, or financial aids disbursement. Graduate assistants must be registered for at least one credit each semester during the academic year to hold a graduate assistantship. For financial aid requirements of a full load, contact the Financial Aid Office.

In general, courses will not be offered to fewer than seven students for graduate courses, unless there is some special reason for doing so. Instructors will cancel courses with low enrollment or for other reasons only with the approval of the dean of the academic college concerned.

Cumulative “B” (3.0) average - The student must maintain a “B” average (3.0) in all courses in the graduate program. No credit is given toward a graduate degree for any grade below “C” in 500, 600, 700 or 800 level courses, or below “B” in 300 or 400 level courses. All work in the major must average “B” (3.0), and all work in the minor or supporting courses must average “B” (3.0). Grades for transfer courses are not used in calculating these grade point averages. The grade earned the last time the course was taken will be used to determine the grade point average for the Plan of Study.

Dissertation/Thesis/Research-Design Paper Credits - Graduate students usually register for dissertation/thesis/research-design paper credit during several semesters. An “in progress” (IP) is normally given until satisfactory completion of the dissertation/thesis/research-design paper and final oral examination. The advisor, upon satisfactory completion of these credits and final oral, will then assign a satisfactory grade (S) for all dissertation/thesis/researchdesign
paper and sustaining credits by notifying the Registrar through the “Change of Grade” form. If not satisfactory, a grade of unsatisfactory (U) is given. Departments may elect to use Pass/Fail for Thesis and Dissertation providing the Graduate School and Registrar are notified and the policy is applied uniformly to all students in the program.

Seminars - A letter grade or a grade of Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor.

Incomplete Grades - When a graduate student is given an Incomplete grade (I) for any course in the student’s graduate program, the instructor may indicate in writing to the student what additional work must be completed and may establish a date at which such work must be completed. A copy of this information must be filed with the Graduate School. If the work is not completed in either the manner or time prescribed, the instructor may change the Incomplete grade to whatever grade is justified as an evaluation of the student’s work or may allow the grade to remain Incomplete. Incomplete grades given without this procedure will remain as Incomplete on the student’s record unless changed because of completion of the remaining work in the course.

Repeated Courses - All courses taken appear on the student’s academic record, but when a course is repeated, only the most recent grade is calculated into the cumulative GPA. This policy applies to both undergraduate and graduate coursework. You should notify the Registrar’s Office, SAD 308, when a course, whether failed or passed, is repeated.

Academic Performance - Graduate students whose Plan of Study grade point average drops to less than 3.0 are automatically placed on Academic Warning, and will receive a letter from the Dean. (If a Plan of Study is not in place, all courses will be counted, and the cumulative GPA will be used.) Should a student on Academic Warning fail to achieve a GPA of at least 3.0 in his/her Plan of Study the following semester, the student will be placed on Academic Probation, and a hold will be placed on his/her registration for the subsequent semester. This hold can be removed only after the student and his/her advisor submit a letter to the Dean of the Graduate School indicating how the GPA will be brought up to 3.0 or better. The student must then meet with the Dean to review this work improvement plan. In the semester following the hold, the student must have a GPA of 3.0 or better to be retained in the program.

Seniors within 15 credits of completing a Bachelor’s degree at South Dakota State University may request permission from the Dean of the Graduate School to take up to 6 credits of 500 or 600 level courses for graduate credit. Permission requires the student to have a grade point average of at least 2.5, or a junior-senior grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and to enroll for not more than 18 credits, undergraduate and graduate credits combined (9 credits during Summer Term). Forms for requesting permission to take courses for graduate credit (Senior Permits) may be obtained from the Graduate School. The student must be admitted as a special student and must register for the course at the graduate level.

Faculty members with the rank of Assistant Professor or above may not work toward an advanced degree at South Dakota State University for promotion and tenure purposes. Faculty who already hold a terminal degree required for promotion and tenure may work on an additional degree at South Dakota State University, by special approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. All faculty may take graduate courses for credit with the required approvals and authorization. A Graduate application should be completed. An “Authorization For Educational Benefits” form, obtained from the Human Resources, should be completed and returned to Human Resources before registration. Staff members below the rank of Assistant Professor who intend to work toward a degree at this institution must follow the regular process for admission to the Graduate School.

Full-time members of the research, instructional, or extension staffs may enroll for a maximum of 12 credits during the calendar year, with a maximum of seven in any one semester and two during the Summer Session. Staff must pay the application fee.

Postdoctoral students or eminent scholars who desire temporary privileges of the research facilities, staff counsel, library or seminars at the institution and who are not candidates for a degree, may pursue study upon approval of the Department Head, Dean and/or Director concerned.

Graduation Application - The student must file a graduation application with the Graduate School by the date specified in the University calendar for the term in which completion of the advanced degree is expected. Failure to file this application will result in a delay in graduation.

Commencement Attendance - All students are urged to participate in the Commencement exercises at which their degrees are to be granted. However, attendance is optional. Students must notify the Registrar of their intent to attend or not attend on a card mailed to them shortly before Commencement. Diplomas will be mailed approximately three months after Commencement. Attendance at Commencement or inclusion in the Commencement Program does not in itself complete the degree requirements since all work on the Plan of Study must be successfully completed for the degree to be awarded.

Cap, Gown and Hood - Caps, gowns and hoods for Commencement may be rented from the University Bookstore.

All graduate students who have completed the dissertation/thesis/research-design paper credits specified on their Plan of Study are required to follow one of the following each semester during the academic year and Summer term until the degree is awarded:

1. Students who have completed the required number of dissertation/thesis/researchdesign paper credits on the Plan of Study, but are still involved in research work as part of the degree requirement, must continue to register for one credit for each succeeding semester including summer.
2. Students who miss the deadline for graduation in a given semester, but successfully complete their final orals and all other requirements except minor edits of their thesis or dissertation prior to the start of the next semester do not have to enroll for the semester they graduate.

Registration is the student’s responsibility and must be completed and payment made prior to the 10th class day of the semester. Failure to register may delay award of the degree and thereby require additional registrations.

South Dakota State University has taken a strong and clear stand regarding academic dishonesty. The consequence of academic dishonesty ranges from disciplinary probation to expulsion. The full policies are found in Chapter 1 of the Student Code (01:10:23:01-1:10:23:04) within the Student Policy Manual. A student charged with academic dishonesty who wishes to appeal that charge may follow the Appeals Procedure outlined in Chapter 2 of the Student Policy Manual (Academic Appeals and Classroom Standards) or contact the Dean of the Graduate School, SAD 130, 605/688-4181.

Pending review of the Graduate Council, the Graduate Dean may dismiss students for violations of professional integrity, upon recommendation by the department/program. Departments may have policies accepted in their disciplines that determine continuation in programs on factors other than grades: these include any violation of ethical standards such as plagiarism, professional standards as determined by the department, the department or graduate program will request the Graduate School to remove the student.

The Graduate School has an academic appeal process for resolution of graduate student and faculty grievances such as prejudicial or capricious academic evaluation, cheating, and plagiarism. Procedures for appeals are available from the Graduate School and its website.

The following middle digit 9 course numbering scheme is used in the South Dakota public university system. These courses may have multiple sections. A section’s title may or may not reflect the material covered in that section. See the academic department for courses specific to your degree.

x90 Seminar
x91 Independent Study
x92 Topics
x93 Workshop
x94 Internship
x95 Practicum
x96 Field Experience
x97 Cooperative Education

In addition, the following 700 and 800 level course numbers are also used in common:

788 Master’s Research Problems/Projects
798/898S/898D* Thesis/Dissertation

* As appropriate, an S or D should be appended to a course number to distinguish between courses for specialist and doctoral degree seekers.

x90 Seminar
A highly focused, and topical course. The format includes student presentations and discussions of reports based on literature, practices, problems, and research. Seminars may be conducted over electronic media such as Internet and are at the upper division or graduate levels. Enrollment is generally limited to fewer than 20 students.

x91 Independent Study
Includes Directed Study, Problems, Readings, Directed Readings, Special Problems, and Special Projects. Students complete individualized plans of study which include significant one-on-one student-teacher involvement. The faculty member and students negotiate the details of the study plans. Enrollments are usually 10 or fewer students. Meeting depending upon the requirements of the topic.

x92 Topics
Includes Current Topics, Advanced Topics and Special Topics. A course devoted to a particular issue in a specified field. Course content is not wholly included in the regular curriculum. Guest artists or experts may serve as instructors. Enrollments are usually of 10 or fewer students with significant one-on-one student/teacher involvement.

x93 Workshop
Special, intense sessions in specific topic areas. Approximately 45 hours of work is required for each hour of credit. Workshops may vary in time range but typically use a compressed time period for delivery. They may include lectures, conferences, committee work, and group activity.

x94 Internship
Applied, monitored and supervised, field-based learning experience for which the student may or may not be paid. Students gain practical experience; they follow a negotiated and or directed plan of study. A higher level of supervision is provided by the instructor in these courses than is the case with Field Experience courses.

x95 Practicum
Applied, monitored and supervised, field-based learning experience for which the student may or may not be paid. Students gain practical experience; they follow a negotiated and/or directed plan of study. A higher level of supervision is provided by the instructor in these courses than is the case with Field Experience courses.

x96 Field Experience
Applied, monitored and supervised, field-based learning experience for which the student may or may not be paid. Students gain practical experience; they follow a negotiated and or directed plan of study established between the student, instructor and field experience supervisor. Due to the presence of a field experience supervisor, a lower level of supervision is provided by the instructor in these courses than is the case with an Internship or Practicum course.

x97 Cooperative Education
Applied, monitored and supervised, field-based learning experience for which the student may or may not be paid. Students gain practical experience; they follow a negotiated and or directed plan of study established between the student, instructor and field experience supervisor. Due to the presence of a field experience supervisor, a lower level of supervision is provided by the instructor in these courses than is the case with an Internship or Practicum course.

788 Master’s Research Problems/Projects
Independent research problems/projects that lead to a research or design paper but not to a thesis. The plan of study is negotiated by the faculty member and the candidate. Contact between the two may be extensive and intensive. Does not include research courses which are theoretical.

798/898S/898D Thesis/Dissertation
A formal treatise presenting the results of study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the applicable degree. The process requires extensive and intensive one-on-one interaction between the candidate and professor with more limited interaction between and among the candidate and other members of the committee.