Graduate

Graduate Full-time and Half-time Policy

Posted on by wpadm
  • Keywords: Academic Load, Full-time, Graduate
  • Policy Number: KC-ACA-3710
  • Originally Issued: Prior to 2010
  • Revised:
  • Effective Catalog Cycle: AY 19-20
  • Approved by:
  • Executive Sponsor: Provost
  • Responsible Office: Registration and Records

Policy Statement

Full-Time Academic Load Definition for Graduate Students

Graduate students enrolled in nine or more credits during a regular semester or five credits during a summer session are considered full-time students. All students registered for fewer than those specified totals are classified as part-time students, unless they hold a teaching or research appointment at UMKC.

Full-time enrollment for students holding graduate teaching assistant or graduate research assistant appointments (GTA/GRAs) is six hours in a regular semester or three hours in a summer session. GTAs/GRAs are expected to make normal progress toward their degrees and should enroll in a minimum of six hours per semester (three credits in the summer session). However, GTA/GRA appointees who have completed all required coursework for the degree and who are working full time on research need only enroll for the minimum of three credits.

These designations of full time are for academic purposes only and do not apply to assessment of fees or degree program residency requirements. Note that this policy in no way alters the residency requirements and criteria for doctoral degrees. Further, international students holding GTA/GRA appointments also must abide by requirements of the U.S. Immigration Service and should consult the international student advisor before reducing their course loads.

Special Cases: Requests for GTA/GRA Appointments Greater than Half Time and Requests for Exemption from Social Security Withholding for GTAs/GRAs

GTA/GRA appointments are normally restricted to no more than 20 hours per week (.5 full-time employee). Requests for GTA/GRA appointments greater than .5 FTE must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies prior to the beginning of the appointment and must be accompanied by a statement from the student’s major advisor that the additional work load will neither place the student at risk academically nor impede the student’s academic progress.

Graduate students holding GTA/GRA appointments are automatically exempt from Social Security withholding tax as long as they are enrolled in at least six credit hours. If the student’s enrollment falls below six credit hours, the student’s academic unit may certify his or her eligibility for continued exemption for one of the following two reasons:

  • The GRA is a doctoral student working in a research laboratory as a component of the educational requirement and is enrolled in the minimum number of research hours required for doctoral students who have passed comprehensive examinations.
  • The GTA or GRA is a graduate student enrolled in fewer than six credit hours because it is the student’s exit semester.

Certification forms are available in the School of Graduate Studies office. The form requires signatures from the student’s major advisor and the principal graduate advisor of the student’s academic unit. After these individuals have signed the form, it must be sent to the School of Graduate Studies for recommendation. The School of Graduate Studies forwards the completed request to the Payroll Office for final action on the request.

Restricted Academic Loads

Limitation on the size of the academic load for which graduate students can register might be imposed by the dean or faculty advisor. Generally, students on probation are required to restrict the academic program to a minimum full-time load until they have returned to good standing.

Interpretation of Full-Time and Half-Time Status of Graduate Students for Purposes of Certification to Lending/Funding Agencies

To be eligible for certification of full-time status as a graduate student, a student must meet at least one of the following conditions:

  • Enrollment in nine credit hours.
  • Ph.D., D.M.A., D.N.P. and Ed.D. candidates who have passed their doctoral comprehensive examinations and are enrolled in at least one credit hour (not to exceed 10 semesters of certification under this category).

To be eligible for certification of half-time status as a graduate student, a student must be enrolled in at least five credit hours.

Special Cases and Limitations on Registrar’s Certification to Lending/Funding Agencies:

  • Ph.D. D.M.A., D.N.P or Ed.D. students who have not taken and passed their doctoral comprehensive examinations and who do not meet one of the other enrollment qualifications for certification and Master’s/Educational-Specialist, and Graduate Certificate students not qualifying for certification under one of the categories listed above may petition the principal graduate advisor in their academic unit for special consideration. If, based on a review of the student’s petition, the principal graduate advisor believes the student for full-time or half-time status, the principal graduate advisor may submit a request to the Registrar’s Office.
  • Work to satisfy an incomplete grade or grades from a previous term or terms does not count toward certification. Therefore, a class may be used only in status calculation for one term. Since the hours are used in status calculation during the original term of enrollment, that is the only term that the hours may be counted.
  • Status may not be calculated nor certified for future terms.

Reason for Policy

This policy was developed to support student academic success and to provide consistent, quality delivery of academic programs and services.

Who Should Read this Policy?

All faculty; Academic advisors; Registrar’s office personnel; Financial Aid office personnel; All graduate students

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

Contacts

UMKC Registrar’s Office: Website: http://www.umkc.edu/registrar/default.asp

Physical Location: 115 Administrative Center, 5115 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64110

Mailing Address: 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499;

Phone: 816-235-1125; Fax: 816-235-5513; Email: registrar@umkc.edu

UMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

Exclusions

History & Updates

Appendices

Graduate Exceptions Policy

Posted on by wpadm
  • Keywords: Graduate, Exceptions, Petition
  • Policy Number: KC-ACA-3799
  • Originally Issued: Prior to 2010
  • Revised:
  • Effective Catalog Cycle:
  • Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
  • Executive Sponsor: Provost
  • Responsible Office: School of Graduate Studies

Policy Statement

Campus-wide Exceptions

Petitions for an exception to a campus-wide graduate academic regulation must originate with the student. It must be processed through the graduate officer and dean or program director in charge of the student’s graduate degree program and forwarded to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Only the dean, or the designated representative, are authorized to grant an exception to the graduate academic regulations applying to all graduate students. Petitions must be in writing and include (1) the reason for requesting the exception and a detailed justification from the student; (2) recommendation for action by the appropriate graduate officer; (3) recommendation for action by the department or division chair (if applicable); and (4) recommendation for action by the appropriate dean or program director. The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies or designated representative will review the petition and related documentation and render a decision which will be communicated in writing to the academic dean or director, the graduate officer, the student and the Registrar.

Program-Specific Exceptions

Petitions for exception to a program-specific academic regulation are handled within the academic unit’s degree program. A graduate student who has petitioned for an exception to a program-specific academic regulation and whose petition has been denied may appeal the decision to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies if all other remedies open to the appellant have been exhausted at the department and college, school or program level. Appeals to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies must be made in writing within 14 consecutive days from the date the student received the written notice of the petition decision. The dean of the School of Graduate Studies will investigate the case and take appropriate action in a timely manner. The decision of the graduate dean, as the chancellor’s designated representative, is final and will be communicated in writing to the student, the graduate officer, the academic dean or director and the registrar.

Reason for Policy

This policy was developed to support student academic success and to provide consistent, quality delivery of academic programs and services.

Who Should Read this Policy?

All faculty; Academic advisors; Registrar’s office personnel, School of Graduate Studies personnel. All graduate students.

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

Contacts

UMKC School of Graduate Studies: https://sgs.umkc.edu/

UMKC Registrar’s Office: Website: http://www.umkc.edu/registrar/default.asp

Physical Location: 115 Administrative Center, 5115 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64110

Mailing Address: 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499;

Phone: 816-235-1125; Fax: 816-235-5513; Email: registrar@umkc.edu

UMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

Exclusions

History & Updates

Appendices

Graduate Admissions Policy

Posted on by wpadm
  • Keywords: Graduate, Admissions
  • Policy Number: KC-ACA-3700
  • Originally Issued: Prior to 2010
  • Revised: Spring 2019
  • Effective Catalog Cycle: Fall 2019
  • Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
  • Executive Sponsor: Provost
  • Responsible Office: SGS, Admissions

Policy Statement

Graduate admission committees in each academic unit review applications and make recommendations for admission to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for final approval. Applicants must satisfy both the general campus requirements and the program-specific admission criteria for graduate study.

The general campus requirements for admission to graduate study in all UMKC graduate programs include:

  1. A bachelor’s or first-level professional degree from a regionally accredited institution. If the degree is from a non-U.S. college or university, the institution must be recognized and approved by the Ministry of Education or Commission responsible for higher education in the country where the degree is earned. The degree must at least be equivalent to a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree or first-level professional degree. The Registrar will vet and make a recommendation to Dean of School of Graduate Studies for approval.
  2. A satisfactory academic record.

For program-specific requirements, applicants should consult the pertinent degree program listing in the UMKC catalog. Many UMKC graduate degree programs require satisfactory scores from national examinations (e.g., Graduate Record Exam).

Graduate degree programs at UMKC have varying schedules for receiving, reviewing and acting on applications for admission. Applicants are directed to the program listings elsewhere in this catalog. This institution reserves the right to consider applicants for the most appropriate term.

Additional International Student Admission Policies

Proof of English Proficiency

International student applicants are required to establish proof of adequate English proficiency as part of the UMKC graduate admissions process. Applicants from countries in which English might be one of the official languages, but is not necessarily the first language of the majority of the population, must attain a minimum composite score of either 213 (CBT) or 80 (iBT) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or a score of 6.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to be considered for admission. The results of the examination must be received by the UMKC International Student Affairs Office before the application deadline.

Required Academic Records for International Applicants

Applicants must provide complete and official certificates of all degrees, diplomas, mark sheets, grade reports and examination records. If documents are in another language, applicants must also provide a literal English translation.

Deadline for Application for Admission and International Applicant and Student Financial Statement

International students must present evidence of sufficient finances to cover their university and personal expenses while they are attending UMKC. A prescribed financial statement must be submitted with the other application materials. UMKC will not assume any financial responsibility for international students. Students seeking admission to the graduate level after an undergraduate program must submit a new financial support statement.

Reason for Policy

This policy was developed to support student academic success and to provide consistent, quality delivery of academic programs and services.

Who Should Read this Policy?

Faculty; Students; Academic advisors; Admissions and Registrar Staff, International Student Affairs Office Staff

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

For TOEFL information contact
TOEFL Services
The Educational Testing Service
PO Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541-6151 USA
http://www.ets.org/toefl
Request official TOEFL scores be sent to UMKC’s institution code 6872.

Contacts

UMKC School of Graduate Studies: https://sgs.umkc.edu/

UMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

Exclusions

Exceptions to the English Proficiency Testing Requirement:

  • Non-native speakers who hold degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries [the full list of countries may be found http://info.UMKC.edu/ISAO/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Countries-Exempt- from-TOEFL-or-IELTS.pdf], provided they have spent a minimum of two years or a total of 60 credit hours in successful full-time study there and English was the medium of instruction.
  • International transfer students from other institutions in the United States or Canada who have spent a minimum of two years in successful full-time study.

History & Updates

Appendices

Graduate Admissions Categories-Non-Degree Seeking Students Policy

Posted on by wpadm
  • Keywords: Graduate, Non-degree Seeking, Continuing Education, Visiting Graduate Student
  • Policy Number: KC-ACA-3702
  • Originally Issued:
  • Revised: Spring 2019
  • Effective Catalog Cycle: 2019-2020
  • Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
  • Executive Sponsor: Provost
  • Responsible Office: SGS Admissions

Policy Statement

The following three admission categories are used for non-degree-seeking graduate students:

  1. Non-Regular Graduate – Continuing Education, Non-Degree-Seeking Student (Continuing Education): Student taking courses for graduate credit through the Continuing Education. Admission to this category does not constitute regular admission to a graduate program at UMKC. However, on the recommendation of the advisor and approval by the graduate officer, a limited number of graduate credit courses (normally no more than six credit hours) may be applied to individual degree programs after students have been regularly admitted to do graduate study.
  2. Visiting Graduate Student – (Visiting): Students who have been properly certified as graduate students at an accredited institution other than UMKC, and have permission to enroll in specific courses (including 5000-level courses) at UMKC. Note: Students who have previously been enrolled in a UMKC graduate program must have been in good academic standing at the end of their last UMKC graduate enrollment to take graduate courses as a visiting graduate student.
  3. Graduate Special Non-Degree Seeking – (Non-Degree Graduate Special): This classification is used for three categories of students: (1) Community access, non-degree-seeking students wanting access to graduate level courses not available through continuing education; (2) Potential graduate applicants, not meeting requirements for conditional admission and wanting to take graduate-level courses in order to qualify for admission; and (3) Community access students applying to graduate certificate programs. The following restrictions apply to Non-Degree Graduate Special Classification graduate students: Students apply to the academic unit, if declared. If undeclared, students are admitted as undeclared non-degree seeking graduate students in the School of Graduate Studies.

All graduate admissions and academic regulation policies apply.

International students may not be issued I-20 forms for admission under a Non-Degree Graduate Special classification.

At the discretion of a department or area, the graduate-level courses completed within the past 7 years with a grade of B (3.0) or better while classified as a Non-Degree Graduate Special student may be applied toward a graduate degree in that department or area. Of the courses listed on a degree, no more than 12 semester credit hours may have been completed while enrolled as a Non- Degree Graduate Special student.

All non-degree-seeking graduate students (Continuing Education, Visiting, and Non-Degree Graduate Special) wishing to enter a degree program as a degree seeking student must apply for and be regularly admitted to the department or school from which they want to receive an advanced degree.

Students admitted to any of the graduate classifications (whether degree seeking or non-degree seeking) will be enrolled automatically for graduate credit in courses numbered 300 to 499 unless they indicate on their enrollment forms that they do not want graduate credit for the course or the instructor specifies the course may only be taken for undergraduate credit. Courses numbered 299 and below may not be taken for graduate credit, are not calculated in a student’s graduate grade-point average and cannot be included as credit courses on a graduate student’s program of study.

Reason for Policy

Who Should Read this Policy?

Instructions, Procedures, and Related Information

Contacts

School of Graduate Studies: https://sgs.umkc.edu/

UMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

Exclusions

History & Updates

Appendices

Graduate Post-Baccalaureate, Non-Graduate Student Classification Policy

Posted on by wpadm
  • Keywords: Graduate, Post-Baccalaureate
  • Policy Number: KC-ACA-3703
  • Originally Issued:
  • Revised:
  • Effective Catalog Cycle: 2019-20
  • Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
  • Executive Sponsor: Provost
  • Responsible Office: SGS, Admissions

Policy Statement

Students who have earned a baccalaureate degree and who are seeking only additional undergraduate courses may be admitted under a post-baccalaureate (code 4-E) classification. Students in this classification are restricted to enrollment in courses numbered 499 and below and may not take any courses for graduate credit. Courses taken while classified as a code 4-E student may not be included for credit on a graduate degree program at a later date. Code 4-E students wanting to reclassify as graduate students for a future term must reapply and be regularly admitted to the graduate programs in which they want to seek advanced degrees.

Reason for Policy

Who Should Read this Policy?

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

Contacts

School of Graduate Studies: https://sgs.umkc.edu/

UMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

Exclusions

History & Updates

Appendices

Graduate Admissions Categories–Degree Seeking Students Policy

Posted on by wpadm
  • Keywords: Graduate, Degree Seeking, Conditional Admission
  • Policy Number: KC-ACA-3701
  • Originally Issued:
  • Revised:
  • Effective Catalog Cycle: 2019-2020
  • Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
  • Executive Sponsor: Provost
  • Responsible Office: SGS Admissions

Policy Statement

The following six admissions categories are used for degree-seeking graduate students at UMKC:

  1. Regular Master’s Degree Seeking – (Full Admit) Degree-seeking graduate students admitted to a master’s degree program without reservation.
  2. Conditional Master’s Degree Seeking – (Provisional Graduate). Degree-seeking graduate students admitted to a master’s- level degree program who have not yet fulfilled all admissions requirements specified by the academic unit responsible for the degree program.
  3. Regular Educational-Specialist Degree Seeking – (Full Admit). Degree-seeking graduate students admitted to an Educational- Specialist degree program in the School of Education without reservation.
  4. Conditional Educational-Specialist Degree Seeking – (Provisional Graduate). Degree-seeking graduate students admitted to an Educational-Specialist degree program who have not yet fulfilled all admissions requirements specified by the School of Education.
  5. Regular Doctoral Degree Seeking – (Full Admit). Degree-seeking graduate students admitted to a doctoral degree program (Ph.D. or D.M.A.) without reservation.
  6. Conditional Doctoral Degree Seeking – (Provisional Graduate). Degree-seeking graduate students admitted to a Ph.D. or D.M.A. program who have not yet fulfilled all admission requirements specified by the academic unit responsible for the degree program.

Full admission of provisional graduate students to a degree program and appropriate reclassification are subject to students’ removal of deficiencies and approval of satisfactory performance.

Admission to graduate study and to a particular degree program is no guarantee that students will be advanced to candidacy or granted a higher degree. All candidates are expected to perform at a consistently high level and to satisfy all the requirements for the degree. The final determination, as to whether or not students will be recommended for a graduate degree, is made by the graduate faculty in the fields concerned. The graduate faculty reserves the right to deal with exceptional cases on individual merit.

Degree-seeking graduate students who plan to change their field of study must reapply for admission and be regularly admitted to the desired graduate program in the new department or school.

Students admitted to any of the graduate classifications will be enrolled automatically for graduate credit in courses numbered 300 to 499 unless they indicate on their enrollment forms that they do not want graduate credit for the course or the instructor specifies the course may only be taken for undergraduate credit. Courses numbered 299 and below may not be taken for graduate credit, are not calculated in a student’s graduate grade-point average and cannot be included as credit courses on a graduate student’s program of study.

Reason for Policy

Who Should Read this Policy?

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

Contacts

School of Graduate Studies: https://sgs.umkc.edu/

UMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

Exclusions

History & Updates

Appendices

Graduate Course Audit Policy

Posted on by wpadm
  • Keywords: Graduate, Audit, Course
  • Policy Number: KC-ACA-7323
  • Originally Issued: Prior to 2010
  • Revised: Spring 2019
  • Effective Catalog Cycle: AY 19-20
  • Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
  • Executive Sponsor: Provost
  • Responsible Office: Registration and Records

Policy Statement

A student must be admitted to the university and obtain the consent of the instructor in order to audit a graduate course. Courses that ordinarily may not be audited are studio courses, performance courses, continuing education courses, laboratory courses in the sciences, internships, and practica. Students do not receive credit when auditing a course, and audited courses do not count toward enrollment status requirements (full- time, half-time).

A student registered in a course for audit is expected to attend class and to pay full tuition and fees. No feedback will be given by the instructor to the auditor. An auditor may be administratively withdrawn from a course at any time during the semester when, in the judgement of the instructor and upon approval by the dean, the attendance or participation record justifies such action.

Change from Audit to Credit

Graduate students may change status in a course from audit to credit during the first week of the term, provided they have the approval of the faculty advisor and have notified the course instructor.

Change from Credit to Audit

Graduate students may change status in a course from credit to audit any time prior to the final examination period, provided they have the consent of the course instructor and the approval of the faculty advisor. [Note: Individual academic units may have earlier deadlines and may have program-specific restrictions on retaking audited courses for credit.]

Reason for Policy

Who Should Read this Policy?

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

Contacts

UMKC Registrar’s Office: Website: http://www.umkc.edu/registrar/default.asp

Physical Location: 115 Administrative Center, 5115 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64110

Mailing Address: 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499;

Phone: 816-235-1125; Fax: 816-235-5513; Email: registrar@umkc.edu

UMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

Exclusions

History & Updates

Appendices

Graduate Course Designation Policy

Posted on by wpadm
  • Keywords: Graduate, Grades
  • Policy Number: KC-ACA-3730
  • Originally Issued:
  • Revised: Spring 2019
  • Effective Catalog Cycle: AY 19-20
  • Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
  • Executive Sponsor: Provost
  • Responsible Office: SGS, Registrar, Departments and Programs

Policy Statement

Course Designations

Courses numbered 5000 and above are generally open only to regularly admitted graduate students.

Courses numbered 5580 to 5589 generally are reserved for seminars, workshops, and special topics. Consult individual degree programs for possible restrictions on such offerings. The course numbers 5590 to 5598 usually are reserved for non-thesis research, directed studies, and readings. Courses numbered 5599 are restricted to research leading to a thesis. No more than 40 percent of courses numbered 5590 to 5599, or other courses which fall in the categories listed above for that course number range, may be applied to a graduate degree program of study, with the exception of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. study.

Courses numbered 5695 to 5699 are restricted to research leading to a dissertation. Continuous Graduate Enrollment is numbered 5899.

Courses numbered 300 to 499 are upper division undergraduate courses. Graduate students who enroll in such courses have the option of designating them, at the time of enrollment, as “not for graduate credit.” If the student chooses this option, the grade will not be included in the student’s graduate grade-point average and the course may not be included on the graduate program/plan of study and will not count toward a graduate degree.

Courses numbered 300- or 400-level may be accepted for graduate credit, based on the following stipulations:

  1. Supplementary work (e.g., additional readings, projects, papers and contact hours with the instructor) is assigned and appropriate assessment demonstrates graduate-level competency and achievement in the subject, as approved by the Graduate Council.
  2. The course must be completed with a grade of B- (2.7) or better.
  3. The total number of 300- to 400-level courses applied to the requirements for a graduate degree may not exceed 40 percent. For students in the PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies program, 300-400 level courses can comprise only 33 percent of the total number of courses on the approved Interdisciplinary Ph.D. plan of study.

Courses at the 100- and 200-level are not available for graduate credit and will not be applied toward the number of hours required for a graduate degree.

Reason for Policy

Who Should Read this Policy?

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

Contacts

UMKC Registrar’s Office: Website: http://www.umkc.edu/registrar/default.asp

Physical Location: 115 Administrative Center, 5115 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64110

Mailing Address: 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499;

Phone: 816-235-1125; Fax: 816-235-5513; Email: registrar@umkc.edu

UMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

UMKC School of Graduate Studies: https://sgs.umkc.edu/

Exclusions

The numbering of graduate courses in the School of Dentistry differs from the system described above.

History & Updates

Appendices

Graduate Credit for Continuing Education Courses Policy

Posted on by wpadm
  • Keywords: Graduate, Continuing Education
  • Policy Number: KC-ACA-3731
  • Originally Issued:
  • Revised: Spring 2019
  • Effective Catalog Cycle:
  • Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
  • Executive Sponsor: Provost
  • Responsible Office: School of Graduate Studies

Policy Statement

Graduate-credit courses are offered on an irregular basis at both off-campus and on-campus locations through non-credit and/or continuing education programs at UMKC, in conjunction with various instructional divisions.

Students may enroll in such courses and earn graduate credit without being regularly admitted to a graduate program. However, application of such credits toward a graduate degree can be determined only after students have been regularly admitted to graduate study. Such application depends upon the acceptance of students and the course by the School of Graduate Studies in consultation with the respective department or division offering the degree. Students must request that the School of Graduate Studies make a determination on whether these credits will satisfy the requirements of their particular educational goals and should make such determination before registering for the course.

Reason for Policy

Who Should Read this Policy?

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

Contacts

UMKC Registrar’s Office: Website: http://www.umkc.edu/registrar/default.asp

Physical Location: 115 Administrative Center, 5115 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64110

Mailing Address: 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499;

Phone: 816-235-1125; Fax: 816-235-5513; Email: registrar@umkc.edu

UMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

School of Graduate Studies: https://sgs.umkc.edu/

Exclusions

History & Updates

Appendices

Graduate Course Grading Policies

Posted on by wpadm
  • Keywords: Graduate, Grades
  • Policy Number: KC-ACA-3733
  • Originally Issued:
  • Revised: Spring 2019
  • Effective Catalog Cycle: AY 19-20
  • Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
  • Executive Sponsor: Provost
  • Responsible Office: Registrar

Policy Statement

Grading System

The following is the +/- grading scale and grade-point system used at UMKC. This +/- grading scale and grade point system is used by all faculty, in all undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.

Letter GradeDescriptionPoints per Semester Hour
AThe highest grade4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3
BWork of distinction3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3
CAverage work2.0
C- 1.7
D+ 1.3
DPassing, but unsatisfactory1.0
D- 0.7
FFailure without credit0.0
NRNot Reported0.0
WFWithdrew Failing–
WWithdrew; no-academic assessment–
IIncomplete–
ATAudit–
CRCredit only–
NCNo Credit–
PPassing–
SSatisfactory–

In terms prior to and including 1985, any of the above grades may have been preceded by an R indicating a repeated course. These grades were not included in either total hours or the grade-point average. (Examples: RC, RD, RF.) Since 1985, all grades, including those in repeated courses, are included in the GPA calculation. Starting the 1993 Fall Semester, UMKC began using the plus/minus grading system for grades A, B, C and D. The grade of A+ is valid only for students in the School of Law.

Incomplete Grades

An instructor may give a grade of incomplete (I) to students who have been unable to complete the work of the course because of illness or other valid reasons beyond their control. Students who receive an incomplete must complete the required work within one calendar year to avoid an F (failure without credit). The instructor may specify a shorter completion period. A grade of incomplete is only appropriate when enough work in the course has been completed that the student can finish the remaining work without re- enrolling in the course in question, or by attending additional classes. In other instances, students should withdraw. Students cannot re-enroll in a course for which an incomplete remains on the record. Furthermore, graduate students cannot graduate with an incomplete on their record.

This policy is exclusive of those courses which are considered directed individual studies, internships, special topics, practica, research and thesis, and research and dissertation courses. Because completion of such courses will quite often span several terms, incomplete grades assigned in such courses will not automatically lapse to an “F” grade after one calendar year, but will adhere to the completion period specified by the instructor.

Repeated Graduate-Credit Courses

Whenever students repeat a graduate-credit course, they must submit a course repeat form to the Office of the Registrar no later than the fourth week of the term. Students seeking graduate degrees are limited to repeating no more than 20 percent of the credits applicable toward a graduate degree. If approved by the school or department or Interdisciplinary Ph.D. supervisory committee, students may repeat a course once to improve the grade-point average or satisfy the program requirements. The second grade received will be used to calculate the grade-point average that will be used in satisfying degree requirements.

Reason for Policy

Who Should Read this Policy?

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

Contacts

UMKC Registrar’s Office: Website: http://www.umkc.edu/registrar/default.asp

Physical Location: 115 Administrative Center, 5115 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64110

Mailing Address: 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499;

Phone: 816-235-1125; Fax: 816-235-5513; Email: registrar@umkc.eduUMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

Exclusions

History & Updates

Appendices

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