Fill - Free fillable POLICIES GRADUATE SCHOOL CLEMSON UNIVERSITY Academic Year 20192020 (Clemson University) PDF form

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE SCHOOL

POLICIES

PROCEDURES

Academic Year 2019–2020

TRANSFORMATION BEGINS HERE

■ FERPA and FERPA training (requires CU login)

■ EEOC/armative action

■ Title IX

■ Anti-harassment and nondiscrimination

■ Plagiarism

■ Research compliance training

■ Copyright and patent issues

■ Research policies

■ Mandated reporting of abuse or neglect of a minor

About changes in Graduate School policy

Generally, you are subject to the policies in eect when you rst matriculate into your graduate program. Minor

changes in policy that will not aect your progress toward a degree may be implemented immediately when that

is determined to be in the best interest of students and/or the University, or if the changes are required by a legis-

lative or regulatory body. These changes, along with all other substantive changes, will be noted in the “Changes

to Graduate School Policy, Annotated” page(s) of this handbook.

We strongly recommend that everyone consult the most current version of the handbook (linked at http://

www.clemson.edu/graduate/students/policies-procedures/index.html) each time you need a policy reference,

to ensure that you are accessing the most current information.

Graduate School academic policies are created and revised via a shared governance process that begins with

the Graduate School’s Advisory Committee, moves to the Graduate Council, and ends with approval by the Pro-

vost’s Academic Council. If you have questions about policies or how they are created or revised, call the oce of

the Dean of the Graduate School at 864-656-4172 or email Dena Smith, Administrative Coordinator.

TRANSFORMATION BEGINS HERE

Purpose of this Handbook

All graduate students as well as faculty and sta who work with graduate programs are responsible for understand-

g and following policies and procedures set forth by the Graduate School. This handbook contains the policies

and relevant procedures that aect the Graduate School as a whole. Students should review the handbook for the

program they are enrolled in or interested in for more detailed department and program policies. These

hand-books are accessible via the Graduate School’s academic programs page. From this page, click on any

program name and you will find a handbook link below the program description.

You are also subject to other Clemson University policies, which you will nd in the Policies section of the

Student Handbook

hosted by Student aairs.

Other University-wide policies, including the following topics, may be found by searching the web pages of

the Registrar, the Oce of Access and Equity, the Oce of Research, and the Oce of Sponsored Programs.

iii

Recent changes to Graduate School policy, annotated

These changes begin with the 2015–2016 academic year, when the Graduate School Policies & Procedures

Handbook was rst published as an interactive PDF document.

Policy Aected

Date of

Change Explanation/Notes

Combined

bachelor’s/master’s

plan

Fall 2015 Number of required credit hours, course level, and maximum research hours were

added to clarify requirements.

Dismissal and

admission appeals

Fall 2016 Dismissal policy and procedure wording updated to clarify roles of program

coordinator, Graduate School dean. Dismissal Appeals changed from subtopic to

topic.

Academic renewal Fall 2016 Updated form GS00, Request for Academic Renewal and claried that Graduate

School approval of form indicates consideration for readmission.

Readmission Fall 2016 New policy outlines conditions and procedures for readmission to the University

following a dismissal as a result of an undocumented/unapproved leave of absence.

Continuous

enrollment

Fall 2016 Updated policy. Topic updated to cross-reference new Leave of Absence policy and

Readmission policy. Includes section on failure to maintain continuous enrollment.

Leave of absence Fall 2016 New policy outlines conditions under which a student may request a time-specic

leave of absence, and procedure for doing so. Includes new form GS-LoA.

Academic Grievance

Policy

Fall 2016 “Procedures for Academic Grievance Committee” updated to replace requirement for

transmission of paperwork by certied mail with transmission via secure email.

Application for

resident status

Fall 2016 Under “State resident status,” clarified procedure and added link to form GS35,

Request for Certification of South Carolina Residency. Form rescinded Fall 2018.

Academic Grievance

Policy

Spring 2017 Updated to include IGRB proceedings prior to full review by Academic Grievance

Committee. Committee structure redened to accommodate new College structure.

Time limit for

doctoral programs

Spring 2017 Time limit for completion of all doctoral program requirements (including master’s

en route to PhD plans) updated from ve years to eight years.

Graduate faculty

status

Fall 2017 New policy and guidelines added.

Advisory committee Fall 2017 Committee structure and member qualications updated.

Theses and

dissertations (ETD)

Fall 2017 Clearer timelines for thesis and dissertations and strict adherence to deadlines

approved by Academic Council for Fall 2017.

ETD embargo Fall 2017 Policy and procedure for thesis/dissertation embargo (delay of publication) updated.

Form GS6-Bachelor-

to-Graduate

Fall 2017 Name of form GS6BSMS, Request for Combined Education Plan updated for clarity

since combined plans are not limited to BS and MS programs.

Withdrawing from

the University

Fall 2017 Ocial Registrar’s withdrawal form approved by Academic Council for Fall 2017.

Replaces online withdrawal via iROAR. Discontinued 2018–19; withdrawal via

iROAR as of this time.

Recent Changes to Graduate School Policy

Policy Aected

Date of

Change Explanation/Notes

Doctoral residency Fall 2018 Outlines and expands upon conditions and alternatives for doctoral candidate

residency, given expansion over time of o-campus, online, and part-time doctoral

study options.

Dismissals Fall 2018 Determines which entities oversee dismissal; details infractions that warrant

dismissal, sanctions, and criteria for student return following dismissal, where

applicable.

Preparing graduate

teaching assistants

for the classroom

Fall 2018 Describes expectations of GTAs and lays out GTA training framework.

English language

prociency for

international

teaching assistants

Fall 2018 Denes state and institutional requirements for teaching-related language prociency

for international graduate teaching assistants.

Refreshments at

defenses

Fall 2018 Students undergoing oral examinations may not provide refreshments, gis, or other

inducements to committee members or attendees.

Approval of thesis/

dissertation research

proposal

Fall 2018 Facilitates process by which advisory committee and Graduate School approve

the student research/manuscript proposal concurrent with results of oral or

comprehensive exams.

Procedure includes a new form, GS-ResearchApproval, Approval of Thesis/

Dissertation Research Proposal.

Application for

resident status

Fall 2018 Form GS35, Request for Certication of South Carolina Residency, discontinued;

all requests for residency information are referred to the Oce of Residency

Classication.

is table of recent policy changes is up-to-date as of 19 August, 2019.

Contents

Cover .......................................................................i

Purpose of this Handbook .................................................... ii

About changes in Graduate School policy ....................................................ii

Recent changes to Graduate School policy, annotated .......................................... iii

Part 1: Application and Admission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.1. Admission Requirements ..................................................................1

The Graduate School’s academic admission requirements

......................................1

Previous degrees

........................................................................1

Transcripts

.............................................................................1

Previous academic work (transfer credit)

..............................................1

English language prociency

................................................................2

Programs’ admission requirements and recommendations

......................................2

Standardized tests

......................................................................2

Other documents

If the program(s) you are applying to require letters of recommendation, a resume or CV, a personal state-

ment, or other documents, these can be submitted or requested through our online application process. It is

your responsibility to ensure all deadlines and requirements are met.

Immunization requirements

Clemson University species basic health and immunization requirements for admission. You may nd these

requirements on the Student Medical Services web page. The additional requirements below are set forth for

graduate students.

All students at Clemson must present their immunization records, either through the MyHealth e-portal or

in person directly to Redfern upon arrival.

Health insurance— mandatory

All domestic graduate students enrolled in nine or more hours on campus are required to be covered by some form

of health insurance. Most international graduate students will be required to enroll in Clemson’s student health

insurance plan. Enrollment in the University’s plan, administered by Redfern Health Center, will be automatic

unless the you are covered by other health insurance that meets certain requirements and a waiver request is

approved. If you do not submit the waiver request in a timely fashion, you will be billed for the University’s plan.

The waiver request, current mandatory health insurance requirements for Graduate and International stu-

dents, and Student Health Insurance Plan brochures for both mandatory and voluntary enrollees are available

as PDF les. More helpful information about insurance and billing may be found here. Once the waiver request

form is submitted online, you will receive an email message that the request to has been received. If the waiver is

granted, the insurance company will send that information to Student Accounts and the cost of medical insurance

will be removed from your account. You will receive an email message indicating the decision on their request for

a waiver.

International students will be billed as indicated in the Student Health Insurance Plan brochure for this

insurance coverage with their tuition. This expense is included on the I-20 or DS-2019. International students

who bring dependents are encouraged to purchase dependent health insurance separately at Redfern Health Cen-

ter upon arrival.

1.2. The Application Process

The application is available online. By following the three steps at this link, you’ll set up a secure ApplyWeb

account to complete your online application. Applications are valid for one year beyond the initial semester

desired for enrollment, aer which you would be required to submit a new application and pay the application fee

at the rate in eect at the time of reapplication.

The type of application being submitted determines the application procedures to follow. Instructions and

relevant deadlines for completing each type of application are included with the application.

The Graduate School website features a section for prospective students, “Frequently Asked Questions.” If

you need additional information, contact the Oce of Graduate Admissions via email or call 864-656-3195.

Dates and deadlines

You may submit your application at any time. However, most programs at Clemson have program-specic dead-

lines. Refer to your program’s graduate program handbook for dates and deadlines.

International students

Typically, the University requests that international students’ applications are completed no later than April15

for fall semester enrollment, September 15 for spring semester enrollment, and February 1 for summer enroll-

ment because international students must consider that additional steps, including receipt of necessary immi-

gration documentation from the University (DS-2019 or I-20 forms), require that the nancial certication

process be complete prior to issuance of these forms. Forms I-20 and DS2019 are normally completed by the

Oce of International Services by July1, October15, and April1 for registration in the fall, spring and sum-

mer semesters, respectively, to allow the international student adequate time to secure a visa.

1.3. Special Applicant Categories

The online application for all following special applicant categories uses the same online application portal as for

typical applications.

Non-degree seeking students

A non-degree seeking student is any individual who does not seek to attain a graduate degree or certicate creden-

tial. Non-degree-seeking students may only become candidates for graduate degrees by rst applying to, and being

admitted into, a degree program. Taking courses as a non-degree-seeking student does not provide any guarantee

that you will be accepted into a degree program. You may accrue a maximum of 12 credits in non-degree seeking

status. If you as a non-degree seeking student subsequently matriculate into a graduate degree program, that pro-

gram may — at its discretion — accept up to a maximum of 12 credit hours you earned as a non-degree student to

be applied towards the Clemson University graduate degree into which you are subsequently admitted.

Seniors (undergraduate)

A Clemson University senior with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and above may apply to enroll in any

graduate course, subject to approval by the department oering the course and the Graduate School. Approval

is required prior to registration and may be requested via form GS Request for Senior Enrollment in Graduate

Courses. Your total course workload for the semester must not exceed 18 hours, and your cumulative graduate

credits earned as a senior must not exceed 12 semester hours.

Combined bachelor’s/master’s degree

An undergraduate student enrolled at Clemson University can apply for admission to a combined Bachelor’s/

Graduate degree program if you hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.4 and the program of interest

allows this option. You must submit form GS-Bachelor-to-Graduate Request for Combined Education Plan

to be considered for this program.

University employees

Employees of Clemson University may enroll in classes and pursue degrees at Clemson and may be eligible for

special tuition benets. However, no member of the faculty with an appointment in an academic unit at the rank

of instructor or higher may be considered as a candidate for a degree in the academic department where employed.

For information on how to access the tuition benet for employees, reference the Oce of Human Resources’

Employee Tuition Assistance Benet policy.

Transient graduate students

If you have been admitted to a degree program at another institution and want to take graduate courses for trans-

fer to your institution, you may be permitted to enroll as a non-degree seeking transient student. To indicate this

status when completing the online application, choose “Transient” as program type. Applications should be sub-

mitted at least two weeks prior to registration. You may earn no more than a total of 12 semester hours while in

transient status, and you will not be eligible to matriculate into graduate degree programs at Clemson University

without completing a separate application as a degree-seeking student and being oered admission.

Teacher certication

Initial certication, recertication, and advance certication for teachers and school administrators are all avail-

able through the College of Education. Students and educators may obtain general information about the South

Carolina requirements for certication by accessing the South Carolina Department of Education Certication

Regulations web page; contact the College of Education for details. An application fee is required.

1.4. Application Fees and Status

All degree-seeking students (including new students, University employees, and Clemson students applying for a

graduate program aer completing an initial degree) must submit a nonrefundable application fee to the Univer-

sity before your application is processed. The Admissions section of the Graduate School’s website lists current

application fees.

Application fee waivers

McNair Scholars who hold a grade point ratio of at least 3.0 will have application fees waived. The application fee

will also be waived for GEM Fellows, veterans and active duty military personnel, and any applicants associated

with the Institute for International Education (IIE) such as Fulbright Scholars and Humphrey Fellows. Under

certain circumstances, application fee waivers may also be oered by a graduate program or the Graduate School

to select applicants.

Procedure for programs:

Program coordinators should contact the Director of Graduate Admissions, Kath-

leen Costello, for details about obtaining and distributing application fee waiver codes.

Status of application

You can check the receipt status of your application by logging onto the Graduate School’s application portal.

From there, click on “Manage Your Account” and then “View All Forms.” If you are concerned about applications

that are not listed as received, contact the Oce of Graduate Admissions via email, or call 864-656-3195.

Application expiration date

Acceptance under an application is valid for one year beyond the initial semester desired for enrollment, with

approval from the program of study. Applications initiated but not completed within one year will become

invalid. See Deferred admission.

Disposition of application materials

Credentials or supporting materials submitted for admission to the Graduate School become the property of the

University and are not returned. No copies will be provided to third parties outside the University except when

compelled by legal authority. Copies will, however, be provided to appropriate oces at the University in the

interest of academic matters or nancial awards relative to the applicant. Applications and supporting documents

are retained according to the retention policies of the state of South Carolina.

1.5. Admission

Status of admission decision

The faculty of the various graduate programs make recommendations for admission to the Dean of the Graduate

School. Offers of admission are not official until approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. Official admis-

sion decisions are communicated to applicants by email from the Dean of the Graduate School. You can view the

status of your admission application online at the application portal. Click “Manage Your Account” and then

“View All Forms.”

Admission classications

Applicants admitted to Clemson University’s graduate programs are classied either as fully admitted or condi-

tionally admitted.

Fully admitted

Fully admitted status indicates that your applicant credentials equal or exceed minimum admission criteria

prescribed for the particular degree.

Conditionally admitted

An applicant may be required to complete specied conditions within two semesters (or on an alternate time-

line specied by program) of enrollment prior to admission. A conditionally admitted student is not ocially

admitted to the university or to a degree program until all conditions are met. Until all conditions are met,

students will be classied non-degree students. Specied conditions may include, but are not limited to:

■ completing an English language prociency program. Admissions conditions for this situation will

be identied in the conditional language admission decision letter issued by the graduate school.

Certication of completion of the program must be submitted to the Graduate School to move from

conditionally to fully admitted.

■ completing additional academic requirements. Admissions conditions for this situation will be

identied in written correspondence provided by the admitting department and must accompany the

graduate school non-degree admission decision letter. The program or department is responsible for

notifying the Graduate School that the applicant has met all specied conditions within the required

timeframe.

Once conditions are met, the student must reapply to the program to be granted fully admitted status. The

Graduate School will provide a fee waiver to cover this process, and if the program accepts the student as fully

admitted (meaning all requirements are met at an acceptable level), the Graduate School will issue a new

decision letter and the student’s status will change from non-degree to degree-seeking. If the student fails to

complete the conditions at the level specied or within the time frame specied by the admitting program,

the graduate school will notify the applicant that they are not being admitted to the university and the appli-

cant will be separated from the university.

Provisionally admitted

Students failing to provide required credential certication (e.g., ocial transcripts) will be admitted provi-

sionally. They are considered admitted but must provide proof of completion of all required degree(s) as soon

as possible following matriculation in compliance with relevant policies.

Procedure for student:

If your nal transcript indicating the awarding of the baccalaureate and/or gradu-

ate degree was not available at the time the admissions oer was made, you must arrange to have ocial tran-

scripts specifying the awarding of a degree submitted to the Oce of Graduate Admissions or the Oce of

Enrolled Student Services within the rst semester of your enrollment. Students failing to provide the appro-

priate documentation within the rst semester of enrollment may be prohibited from enrolling in subsequent

semesters until the necessary documentation is received. Clemson University transcripts do not need to be

requested. Failure to comply may result in dismissal.

The registrar’s oce at each institution previously attended must provide ocial transcripts in sealed

envelopes with an ocial signature over the seal. A sealed transcript opened by a student is no longer consid-

ered ocial. Transcripts may be mailed to Clemson University at the following address:

Graduate Admissions Oce

Clemson University

E-209 Martin Hall

Clemson, South Carolina 29634 U.S.A.

Ocial electronic transcripts may be emailed directly from the Oce of the Registrar of the sending institu-

tion to Clemson University at gstranscripts@clemson.edu. A transcript submitted electronically by anyone

other than the issuing institution will not be considered ocial.

Deferred admission (change of term)

You may defer enrollment for up to one year beyond the semester indicated in your oer of admission, pending

approval from the program of study. To defer admission, you must request and receive written approval from the

academic program that recommended admission via the GS Change of Term form. Your application and sup-

porting materials are valid for one year. Should you wish to defer your admission beyond one year of the initial

semester desired, a new application, supporting documentation, and the prevailing application fee must be sub-

mitted (see previous topic Application expiration date). If you are an international student, you should notify the

Oce of International Aairs when your request for deferred admission is approved by the admitting program.

Denied admission

An applicant may be denied admission to any of Clemson’s graduate programs for various reasons. If you are

denied admission and believe the decision was made unfairly or improperly, you may appeal the decision.

Admission appeals

You may appeal an admission denial if you can demonstrate that the admission decision was made unfairly or

improperly. Appeals are heard by the Graduate Admissions and Continuing Enrollment Appeals Committee or

Applicant Conduct Review Appeals Committee, depending on the circumstances regarding the denial.

Appeals procedure

1. You must submit an appeal of denied admission in writing within 30 days of the date of the letter

indicating denial or at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the term in which you desire to begin

classes, whichever is earlier.

2. You must submit the written statement to the Graduate School requesting the appeal on form GS-

Appeal Appeal of Dismissal or Denied Admission and provide evidence that the admission decision was

unfairly or improperly rendered. Any documentation for the Graduate Admissions and Continuing

Enrollment Appeals Committee and/or Applicant Conduct Review Appeals Committee to consider

should be attached to this form.

3. For denial cases initially determined by Applicant Conduct Review Committee, the appeal will be

reviewed and considered by the Applicant Conduct Review Appeals Committee consisting of the Dean

of the Graduate School, chair of the Crisis Management Team, and the Vice President of Student Aairs.

Upon reviewing the case, the Dean of the Graduate School will communicate the appeal decision that

shall be considered nal.

4. For cases involving denials for academic reasons, the Graduate School will make available to the Graduate

Admissions and Continuing Enrollment Appeals Committee your appeal request and the complete

admission le (application; transcript[s]; supporting documents) within three days. The Graduate School

will also provide the graduate program coordinator with a copy of your appeal.

5. The Graduate School will identify the earliest hearing date, will schedule the meeting, reserve the room,

and notify all parties of the time and location of the hearing.

6. The Dean of the Graduate School’s designee will attend the hearings to provide procedural guidance but

will have no vote in the decision of the committee.

7. You will be called in rst by the chair of the hearing panel to present your case. Following conclusion of

your presentation, you will be excused.

8. The faculty member[s] representing the graduate program will be called in next by the chair of the

committee to present the rationale of the program for denying admission. This faculty member may bring

to the meeting any relevant documents to share with the members of the committee. These documents

will be retained with the case in accordance with the state guidelines on retention of academic materials.

9. The committee will make a decision on your case, which will be communicated immediately to you and

to the program coordinator. This communication will be in the form of an email notication originating

from the Graduate School.

10. Appeals of the decisions of the committee may be made by you to the Dean of the Graduate School

within ten business days of the decision of the committee.

11. Within 15 business days, the Dean of the Graduate School will render a nal decision for the University

on admission appeals and will communicate that decision to each party and to the members of the

committee.

Readmission

A degree-seeking student who has separated voluntarily from the University without an approved Leave of

absence may apply for readmission, at which time you must pay the standard application fee. Readmission deci-

sions must be approved by the program and the Graduate School.

If you are readmitted, you must pay a fee equivalent to registering for one credit hour for each fall/spring

semester you were absent from the University. All policies, course of study requirements, and tuition and fee levels

in eect at the time of your readmission will be in eect for the remainder of your program of study. Courses

that have exceeded the maximum time limit (which dier for master’s and doctoral degrees), or in which you

did not receive at least a C–, will not be applied to your new program of study. Of those courses that meet the

readmission criteria, programs have sole discretion as to whether or not they accept these courses. Programs also

have the right to impose other requirements as part of the readmission, including (but not limited to) retaking

qualifying or comprehensive exams, completing new courses or internships, etc.

Procedure for student:

Complete the Graduate School application. The application includes instructions

for students seeking readmission, which include addressing program-specific questions and submitting a plan

and timeline for completion as a part of your personal statement. The standard application fee and all supporting

materials are required to be submitted even though the University may already have some of those supporting

materials on file (see Continuous Enrollment and Leave of Absence in the Academics section of this handbook).

Notication of readmission will originate from the Graduate School.

Clemson University Graduate School POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Procedure for department: Departments and programs will process the application for readmission in the

same manner as a new application. All policies and course of study requirements in eect at the time of read-

mission will be in eect for the applicant (see Continuous enrollment and Leave of absence). Notication to

students of readmission decisions will originate from the Graduate School.

Re-entrance as an undergraduate student

Former graduate students in good standing who are interested in re-entrance at the undergraduate level to pursue

an undergraduate degree should contact Undergraduate Admissions.

Academic renewal

If you were dismissed from the Graduate School for a grade point deficiency and you have not enrolled for

a period of one or more academic years, you may apply for readmission under special conditions known as aca-

demic renewal. For details and procedure, see Academic renewal in the Academics section.

1.6. Orientation and Registration

Policy surrounding new student orientation and class registration— including dates and deadlines— is main-

tained by the Oce of the Registrar. The Graduate School and the Oce of International Services oer infor-

mation, procedures and support for incoming graduate students on their respective websites.

All new graduate students should attend the general Graduate School orientation (see “Register for Orien-

tation(s)” under the First Things First topic on the New Student To Do List page) as well as a specic program

orientation if the department holds one.

New international graduate students, please visit the Students page of the International Services website for

information about arrival, orientation, campus life, and required documentation.

1.7 Official University Communication

According to Clemson University policy, email is an ocial method of communication. Thus, all ocial com-

munications will be transmitted through Clemson University email to your ocial Clemson email address at the

“clemson.edu” domain. It is your responsibility to monitor this email account at all times while enrolled in Clem-

son University. Failure to monitor this account may cause you to miss important announcements and deadlines,

and will not serve as a basis for an appeal or modication of deadlines.

Part 2: Academics

2.1. Graduate Program Basics

All students should familiarize themselves thoroughly with the academic policies and procedures of the Graduate

School and Clemson University as outlined in this handbook and provided at the Oce of Student Aairs’ Aca-

demic Policies web page on the University website. Students should consult their graduate program handbooks

and their graduate program coordinators or department chairs for specic details within their degree program,

which may have more stringent requirements.

Academic integrity

Graduate philosophy

An academic environment of integrity is one in which students, faculty and sta interact with each other

from a position of mutual trustworthiness. As a member of the consortium of institutions comprising the

International Center for Academic Integrity, Clemson University has committed itself to preparing a com-

munity of scholars dedicated to integrity in teaching, research, scholarship, mentorship and the acquisition

and display of professional values of trust, honesty, fairness, responsibility, respect, and courage.

Clemson grad-

uate students are expected avail themselves of the many opportunities and resources both on and o campus

to learn how to engage in professional practice with integrity. The Graduate School and the community of

scholars engaged in graduate-level education will respond vigorously and expeditiously to charges of viola-

tions of academic integrity.

The Graduate School and the graduate faculty will respond vigorously to charges of violations of aca-

demic integrity. To create a culture that values academic integrity:

■ faculty must be clear on syllabi and in instructions to students about the academic expectations for

completing assignments,

■ students must be aware of academic integrity policies and expectations and must be proactive in asking

for clarication on procedures for completing assigned work,

■ graduate programs must engage students in discussions about disciplinary-specic issues and professional

practice relative to academic integrity,

■ research mentors should inform students of prominent cases of academic dishonesty by other faculty and

graduate students so as to heighten students’ awareness,

■ advisory committees should discuss integrity in relation to master’s or doctoral degree requirements,

comprehensive exams, etc., and should be proactive in screening these products for violations.

2. The Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity, 2nd Edition. The Center for Academic Integrity, October 1999; revised 2013. Accessed at http://

academicintegrity.org/wp-content/uploads///Fundamental-Values-.pdf.

2.2. Graduate Faculty Status

This policy seeks to establish a graduate faculty composed of faculty members well-equipped to teach graduate

level courses, to lead advisory committees, to serve on dissertation committees, and to chair dissertation com-

mittees. Absent this basic quality-control mechanism, with appropriate checks and balances, we are at risk for

providing sub-optimal education for our graduate students.

Policy

The Graduate Faculty is the group of faculty qualied and approved to direct the learning of graduate student

through eective teaching at the graduate level and mentoring students’ professional development and research

progress. Each college will develop policies and process within their typical personnel review and appointment

structure to dene: (a) qualications for graduate faculty status; (b) dierent qualications (if any) for chairing a

student thesis or dissertation advisory committee; (c) how these decisions are made and approved; (d) the mech-

anism for periodically reviewing graduate faculty status and for removing a faculty member where necessary; and

(e) appeal process. At the beginning of each academic year, each college will provide a list of graduate faculty to

the Graduate School.

Guidance for developing college policies

A. Qualications for Graduate Faculty status vary across disciplines. They oen include:

1. Faculty status (at Clemson, for example, being a Regular or Administrative faculty member, rather

than a Special faculty member),

and how unusual cases will be handled (such as scholars or experts

outside Clemson);

2. A clear statement of the minimal acceptable degree (oen a terminal degree) and/or other critical

qualications appropriate for the eld in the discipline or closely related disciplines (e.g., professional

licensure);

3. Prociency in scholarly/creative production as evidenced by indicators such as:

a. Active scholarship documented by publication of scholarly work (e.g., books; articles in refereed

journals or conference proceedings), grants and contracts received, and/or creative activities

appropriate to the eld

b. Recognition of creative contributions and research by awards, prizes, fellowships, and similar

honors

c. Editorial service for scholarly journals, university press, scholarly books, and professional

manuscript review

d. Professional contributions in a relevant eld

4. Prociency in teaching courses at the graduate level and what indicators of teaching prociency will

be valued;

5. Prociency in mentoring graduate students in professional or scholarly endeavors;

6. Other discipline-specic criteria.

3. Revised 16 March 2016 to eliminate senior grad status. Approved 19 September 2016 by Graduate Council with amendment regarding renewal

of status. Revised 19 June 2017 to clarify that units are required to have a policy, and that these are recommendations or guidelines.

4. For denitions of Regular, Administrative, and Special faculty, refer to the current Faculty Manual.

B. Dene qualications for chairing a thesis or dissertation advisory committee, if dierent from A, above.

For example, as chairing a thesis or dissertation is a skill that many new faculty have not had a chance to

practice, at some institutions graduate faculty are required to participate in a few advisory committees

or to co-chair prior to chairing a committee. Units should consider not only how to ensure quality

mentoring for graduate students, but mentoring of new faculty in this skill, and whether it is appropriate

for early-career faculty to accept the burden of chairing committee(s).

1. Currently, only Regular or Administrative faculty are eligible to chair a thesis or dissertation, and

Special faculty ranks can serve as co-chairs.

C. Determine the mechanism through which graduate faculty status is awarded, both for Regular and

Special faculty ranks (which may dier). In some units, department chairs will make the decision, while

in others, TPR committees will have the responsibility. For newly hired faculty, it is helpful to describe

whether they can receive graduate faculty status as part of the appointment process, and if so, how that

decision is vetted.

D. Determine the mechanism for periodically reviewing graduate faculty (or chairing committees) status,

and the criteria for maintaining this status. Units will oen want to incorporate this review into other

typical and routine faculty review processes (e.g., TPR, post-tenure review, reappointment of lecturers,

etc.).

E. Although unpleasant, units should consider carefully the mechanism for removing a faculty member

from the graduate faculty. Membership in the graduate faculty should be considered a privilege, not a

right. Units might want to carefully scrutinize the privilege of chairing a thesis or dissertation and specify

due process for review and rearmation or removal of graduate faculty status. For example, a unit might

decide that faculty found to be in violation of certain University policies — or out of compliance with

certain federal regulations — might be removed from the graduate faculty.

F. Outline a reasonable appeal process for faculty who feel unfairly treated in this process. Ideally, these

appeal processes should be internal to the college except in unusual circumstances, in which case the

Provost could be the last and nal arbiter of this process, again ideally as part of routine faculty review

processes.

2.3. Your Advisor and Advisory Committee

Advisor (major advisor, committee chair)

Every student enrolled in a graduate program must have a major advisor. The major advisor is the faculty member

who provides general guidance throughout your program of study. The major advisor will recommend initial

courses to be taken until the advisory committee is selected. Initial coursework should be of a fundamental or

core nature so that the full advisory committee, once constituted, will have maximum exibility to formulate the

remainder of your program of study. Your major advisor, in consultation with the graduate program coordinator

or department chair, will assist you in selecting the members of your advisory committee. The major advisor is

responsible for chairing the advisory committee meetings and for providing realistic expectations for completing

the requirements of the degree. An advisory committee may be co-chaired by more than one faculty member.

Note that some colleges or departments will have dierent criteria for faculty to serve as chair of your advisory

committee.

5. For denitions of Regular, Administrative, and Special faculty, refer to the current Faculty Manual.

Students pursuing a master’s or specialist’s degree must select an advisor and submit your Plan of Study (cur-

riculum) by the middle of your second semester, and doctoral students must select an advisor and submit your

Plan of Study no later than the beginning of your fourth semester of study following matriculation. Aer these

deadlines, you may be blocked from registering for future courses until you submit a plan of study. Review your

program’s graduate program handbook for the written procedures for selection of the major advisor. The Grad-

uate School supports your right to have signicant control over the selection of your major advisor (including the

ability to change advisors) and your advisory committee.

Graduate Advisory Committee

A student’s advisory committee approves your degree curriculum, supervises your graduate program, administers

the nal oral examination (if required), and initiates the recommendation for the awarding of the degree. In addi-

tion, the advisory committee may administer qualifying (or preliminary) or nal comprehensive examinations.

One member of the committee is designated as chair (or major advisor) and normally directs your dissertation or

thesis, if required.

Every student enrolled in the Graduate School must form an advisory committee not later than the middle

of their second semester aer matriculation into a master’s or specialist’s degree program, or not later than the

beginning of the fourth semester of their doctoral program. Individual programs that require a standing exception

to the timeline for curricular reasons may appeal for an alternative timeline to be approved by the Dean of the

Graduate School.

Committee composition: A minimum of three faculty members must be selected by a student seeking a mas-

ter’s or specialist’s degree with a nal exam or culminating assessment. A minimum of four faculty members must

be selected by a student seeking a doctoral degree. All members of an advisory committee must be current mem-

bers of the graduate faculty. The majority of the advisory committee, including the chair, must include full-time

Clemson University Regular or Administrative faculty as dened in the Faculty Manual.

Special faculty may

serve as co-chairs or committee members as long as the chair is a permanent faculty member appointed to the

graduate faculty and the Special faculty member(s) are members of the graduate faculty. The chair, co-chair, or at

least half of the committee must have a primary appointment in the program oering the degree. If the student

declares a minor, this area must be represented on the committee. Committee members of interdepartmental pro-

grams are to be appointed according to bylaws (formulated by the program faculty and endorsed by the academic

unit housing the program).

Academic programs at the Master’s or Education Specialist’s level that are non-thesis and do not have a nal

exam or culminating assessment (i.e., do not submit the GS7M) may choose to establish an alternative student

committee structure for the purpose of curriculum guidance. Such programs may choose to appoint a single fac-

ulty member or professional advisor to serve as the advisory chair, with no other committee members required.

Any program requiring any form of comprehensive assessment (e.g., thesis, portfolio, nal exam, etc.) that must be

evaluated by an advisory committee is not permitted to use this advisory structure. The individual in this import-

ant role must be a full-time, permanent employee of Clemson; external individuals may not serve as advisory

committee chair.

Major advisor or committee chair:

Regular or Administrative faculty holding graduate faculty status are eligi-

ble to serve as the major advisor or chair of the committee.

6. Revisions proposed 20 January 2017. Passed advisory committee January 2017. Passed Graduate Council April 2017; revised 11 April 2017 for

terminology consistency about faculty categories in faculty manual.

7. For denitions of Regular, Administrative, and Special faculty, refer to the current Faculty Manual.

Academic unit policies: Units may specify more restrictive standards for whom may be eligible to serve as major

advisor or committee chair, and may expand the pool of eligible faculty to include Special faculty categories who

serve as full-time Clemson employees. These unit guidelines should clearly articulate qualications for this status,

what types of special faculty are eligible, and how they are reviewed (e.g., TPR committee and department chair).

Chairing a dissertation: Graduate School policy does not currently dierentiate qualications for serving in

this very challenging and important role. We encourage academic units to specify what qualications, if any, they

look for in serving as a dissertation chair.

Persons not employed by the University

: Certain non-employees may serve on the advisory committee. Exter-

nal individuals (e.g., tenure-track faculty at other institutions, scholars employed in industry or other non-ac-

ademic venues, etc.) who meet the unit standards for graduate faculty status and are active scholars in an area

relevant to the thesis or dissertation may serve as a committee member pending approval of the unit TPR com-

mittee and department chair. External committee members may not serve as chair of the advisory committee.

Once advisory committee members are selected and approved, you, your department, and your committee

members are notied of the fully constituted committee by means of the approved Plan of Study.

Your Plan of Study (form GS2, graduate degree curriculum)

If you are a degree-seeking student, you must le a GS Plan of Study or graduate degree curriculum (accessed

via iROAR) near the beginning of your program of study. This planned program represents your individual cur-

riculum as recommended by your advisory committee. It must adhere to departmental as well as University pol-

icies. The total number of graduate credits required for the degree is determined by your advisory committee,

consistent with the specic program guidelines and Graduate School policy. These credits constitute the core of

your graduate degree curriculum. All transfer courses listed on the GS2 must conform to the policies on transfer

courses (see Transfer credit). These documents may evolve, with advisory committee approval, throughout the

course of your degree program, and changes should be reviewed and approved by your committee, and a new

GS2 form submitted whenever a change occurs. The Graduate School website provides additional Plan of Study

instructions online.

If you experience a problem completing or routing your Plan of Study, you may contact the Graduate School

at gradweb@clemson.edu.

Deadlines: Students pursuing a master’s or specialist’s degree must submit the plan of study by the middle of

their second semester following matriculation, and doctoral students must submit the curriculum no later than

the beginning of their fourth semester of study following matriculation. If you don’t meet these deadlines, you

may be blocked from registering for courses until you submit a plan of study.

Final GS2 and graduation:

In order to be approved for graduation, your nal GS2 must be led by the dead-

line listed on the graduation deadlines web page. Failure to meet these deadlines may result in late fees and/or

inability to graduate when desired.

Continuous enrollment

As a graduate student enrolled in a degree program, you are required to maintain continuous enrollment aer

initial matriculation (i.e., you must register each fall and spring semester until you either have graduated, have

permanently withdrawn, or have been dismissed). If you are enrolled in the spring and fall semesters, you are not

required to register during the summer unless you meet the exceptions below. Registration in a zero-credit intern-

ship or similar course satises this requirement. Registering to audit a course does not meet this requirement. Note

that a student on a 12-month graduate assistantship must maintain continuous enrollment during the summer in

addition to fall and spring semesters (see section ., Assistantships and Fellowships) to keep that assistantship.

Exceptions

■ Incomplete grades

A student who anticipates not being able to remove a fall semester I (incomplete) grade by the end of

the semester should register for that spring semester, and any subsequent semesters needed to complete

the work, to stay in compliance with the continuous enrollment policy. A student who fails to remove

a spring I grade by the end of the summer will not be terminated (because summer registration is

not required for continuous enrollment), but you will have to register for the following fall and any

subsequent semesters until the I has been removed (see Grading system: Incompletes).

■ Registration in a summer session for submission of thesis/dissertation and oral examinations, or

other degree milestones

A student who completes any degree milestone (e.g., preliminary or comprehensive exam, defense or oral

exam of any kind) or submits your thesis/dissertation to the Graduate School during any summer session

must be registered during that summer session.

■ Graduation

A student who completes all requirements for the degree (including the Graduate School’s acceptance of

the nal version of your thesis or dissertation) prior to the rst day of classes for the fall or spring semester

or the rst summer session may graduate during the next semester or summer session without being

registered, provided that you were registered in the immediately preceding semester or summer session

and that you applied to graduate during that preceding term.

Failure to maintain continuous enrollment

The Graduate School may dismiss any student who fails to comply with the continuous enrollment policy.

If you are terminated from your program for failure to maintain continuous enrollment, you will be required

to reapply for admission (see Leave of absence). Readmission requires a positive recommendation from your

academic program as well as approval by the Graduate School and, therefore, is not guaranteed.

Leave of absence

A student in good academic standing (minimum 3.0 GPA and has successfully met other program or Graduate

School requirements) who must interrupt a graduate program may request a leave of absence from graduate study.

A leave of absence may be granted for up to 12 months, with a possible renewal of up to one additional 12-month

period.

A student not in good standing (GPA lower than 3.0 or failed critical program or Graduate School require-

ments; e.g., comprehensive or qualifying exams) may also request a leave of absence. However, the Graduate

School may also choose to dismiss the underperforming student where future success seems unlikely. Should the

request for the leave of absence be approved by the Graduate School, the student will return in the same academic

status as prior to the leave.

A leave of absence is usually granted for compelling personal, family, medical, or professional reasons that

require the student to suspend graduate study and to be absent from the University for a period of time. During

a leave of absence, students are expected to be focused on these non-academic priorities. A leave of absence is not

intended to be a mechanism for you to avoid tuition costs while making progress toward a degree. Therefore, you

may not make progress toward your degree requirements while on leave (e.g., taking comprehensive or qualify-

ing exams; completing incomplete grades; submitting, revising, or defending a thesis or dissertation; conducting

independent research, etc.). A student on leave will maintain access to basic CCIT services such as University

email, but should not use other University resources such as research labs, faculty time, recreation facilities, or

health and wellness services.

Procedure for student: The plan to take a leave of absence from your program should be discussed rst with

your major advisor and/or program coordinator well in advance of your intended leave. These faculty members

will inform you of concerns at the program level that must be understood and/or addressed prior to leave, includ-

ing issues of departmental or program nancial support. Formally notify the program and the Graduate School of

your intended leave by completing the online form GS-LoA Request for Leave of Absence. Aer you complete this

form, forward it electronically or hand deliver a hard copy to secure the necessary signatures from your graduate

program advisor or coordinator. Incomplete forms will not be approved by the Graduate School and you thus will

be considered not in compliance with the Continuous enrollment policy. If you are an international student, you

should check regulations on how a leave would impact your visa status and other important factors.

Transfer credit

Independence of graduate degrees

A graduate student who has completed the requirements for a graduate degree may not then use those same

credits toward a second degree. The exceptions to this rule are the master’s degree en route to the doctorate

and students approved for the dual degree option.

Research, internships, theses and dissertations

Under no circumstances will transfer credit be awarded for research, internships, master’s thesis or doctoral

dissertation work performed at another university.

Courses

Your advisory committee will make the nal determination about transfer credit. Up to 12 credit hours of

coursework (and no more than one-third of the graded course credit hours required for a master’s degree)

may be transferred to a master’s degree. Up to 48 credit hours of coursework (and no more than one-third of

the graded course credit hours) may be transferred to a doctoral degree. All credits transferred to Clemson’s

graduate programs must have been completed at a regionally-accredited institution and must be veried by

submission of an ocial transcript. Programs may have more restrictive policies on acceptable transfer credits

clearly articulated in their graduate program handbook but may not exceed the guidelines in this policy.

Grades earned for courses taken at institutions other than Clemson University will not be included in

the student’s grade point ratio. Valid transfer credits will appear on your transcript as credits earned. Under

no circumstances will transfer credit be awarded for courses in which a grade lower than B (or its equivalent)

has been received; courses graded on a pass/fail basis; continuing education units; courses completed outside

the six-year (master’s) or eight-year (doctorate) time limit for degree completion; for correspondence, exten-

sion, or in-service courses; or for concentrated courses and workshops that award credit at a rate exceeding

one credit per week. All transfer courses listed on the GS Plan of Study must be courses taken for credit

from a regionally accredited degree-granting institution whose scholastic reputation is acceptable to Clemson

University and to your advisory committee and department.

Procedure for student:

To have courses considered for transfer, you must discuss with your major advisor

and/or advisory committee your proposal to use specic courses from other institutions. Within the guide-

lines established by the Graduate School, the advisory committee will identify courses acceptable for transfer

and will record these courses on your GS Plan of Study. You must then have an ocial transcript sent from

the institution(s) where credit was earned to the Oce of Enrolled Student Services, 104D Sikes Hall. Only

when courses have been veried by Enrolled Services to meet all Graduate School requirements will they

be approved for application toward the degree. This approval should be secured as early as practical once

you matriculate into a Clemson University degree program. The Oce of Enrolled Student Services and

the Graduate School have nal authority to approve or deny requests for course transfer. No faculty or sta

outside the Oce of Enrolled Student Services or the Graduate School have authority to approve this type

of request.

2.4. Navigating Courses

Syllabus

A syllabus must be prepared for every graduate class and made available to students enrolled in that class, ideally

on the rst day of class and no later than the last class period before the last day for a student to add a class. The

syllabus should dene the course expectations, including a topical outline of the course, grading information, and

attendance policies.

Procedure for instructors:

Instructors may access the Graduate School’s syllabus requirements on the Faculty

and Sta Resources web page (login required) under “Current Class Regulations.”

Class attendance

You are expected to be well prepared for — and to routinely attend — all classes except when extenuating cir-

cumstances intervene. All students are required to attend the rst scheduled day of classes and labs. Students who

cannot attend the rst class are responsible for contacting the instructor to indicate their intent to remain in that

class. If you do not attend the rst class meeting or contact the instructor by the second class meeting or the last

day to add the class, whichever comes rst, the instructor has the option of dropping you from the roll. Specic

class attendance policies are established by instructors and are included in each course syllabus.

Auditing courses

Permission to audit a graduate course is granted at the discretion of the academic department chair, the coordi-

nator of the program oering the course, or the instructor. Audited courses do not carry credit and are not noted

your academic record. Audited courses may not be used to satisfy stated prerequisites for a graduate course. Addi-

tionally, you may not establish credit through examination in any course for which you were previously registered

as an auditor.

Change of major or degree program

You may request a change of major and/or degree by completion of the iROAR-based GS Request for Change

of Degree and/or Major process. You must meet all program and Graduate School requirements for admission

into the new program and receive approval from the new program’s program coordinator and department chair

before nal approval will be granted. Comprehensive exams must always be completed in the current discipline

regardless of whether you completed them in the previous discipline.

Enrollment limits

Maximum enrollment limits for graduate students refer to graduate and undergraduate credits combined. During

the summer sessions, if the six-week and three-week sessions run concurrently, the total credits are not permitted

to exceed the maximum for the six-week session. Specic enrollment limits are dened in the following table.

Clemson University Graduate School POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Graduate student enrollment limits

Maximum credit hours

Student category Semester 6-week session 3-week session Full Summer

(12 wks)

Full-time students 15 6 3 

Graduate assistants (10 hours) 15 6 3 

Graduate assistants (11+ hrs.) 12 6 3 

Full-time CU employees 9 6 3 

Procedure for student: If you want to exceed these credit-hour limits, you must get approval from your major

advisor, who will submit an appeal of the enrollment policy to the Dean of the Graduate School, who in turn will

assess your record and make a determination.

Procedure for department:

Departments or programs that want to require graduate curricula to exceed

15credit hours per semester should submit this request to the Graduate Curriculum Committee for review as a

program modication.

Dropping courses

The Academic Calendar provides ocial dates for withdrawing from a class without record or without nal

grades. If you are considering dropping a course, you must ensure you are in compliance with all other policies and

conditions of your awards. You may submit a withdrawal request via iROAR. Failure to attend classes or verbal

notication to instructors does not constitute formal withdrawal. A student who stops attending classes but does

not withdraw is held accountable for all nancial and academic outcomes of that decision.

A student who ocially withdraws within the rst two weeks of classes will have no grades recorded. Those

who ocially withdraw aer the rst two weeks and prior to the last ve weeks will have a grade of W (withdrew)

entered on the academic record. If you are dropping all courses, please see Withdrawing from the University;

the timetable diers between dropping one course and dropping all courses with intent to withdraw. The date on

which you withdraw online is the ocial date of withdrawal recorded by the Registrar.

Prior to dropping courses, international graduate students must receive authorization from an advisor in the

Oce of International Services. It is important that you not fall below the required full-time enrollment man-

dated by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

A student on an assistantship must maintain minimum enrollment levels. See section 3.2, Assistantships and

Fellowships.

Grading system

Graduate students in graduate-level (6000+) courses may be graded using the following letter grades: A, A–, B+,

B, B–, C+, C, C–, F. Faculty have sole discretion as to whether they use the full range of grades available or a subset

(e.g., A, B, C, F). There is no expectation or mandate that faculty should use plus/minus grades. Under no circum-

stances will A+ be awarded. Faculty must describe their grading policy for a course, including whether they will

use +/– grading, in the course syllabus.

A minimum grade of C– (or P) must be earned for each and every course a student applies toward a degree.

Grade appeal

Grades cannot be appealed, although you may le an ocial grievance under certain circumstances. See

Academic Grievance Policy. Students may not le grievance for a faculty member’s use of a particular grad-

ing system (e.g., full range including +/– versus only A, B, C, F).

Pass/fail enrollment

Thesis and dissertation research, and a small number of unstructured courses approved by the Graduate

Curriculum Committee as non-graded courses, may be taken at the graduate level on a pass/fail (P/F) basis.

Courses graded P/F are not included in your GPA; however, the grade P or F does appear in your permanent

academic record. Classes not previously approved as pass/fail by the Graduate Curriculum Committee will

not be converted to the pass/fail option at a student’s request. Credit hours for which you receives a grade

of fail (F) will not apply toward the number of credit hours required for your degree but can indicate lack

of satisfactory academic progress and may lead to dismissal. The accumulation of grades of pass (P) in thesis

or dissertation research does not infer completion of the research; such grades indicate satisfactory progress.

Incompletes (grades of I)

A grade of Incomplete (I) indicates that a relatively small part of the semester’s work remains undone and

indicates a reasonable expectation that your completion of the work will lead to a satisfactory grade. Grade

I is not given a student whose submitted work indicates a failure to master the material, failure to turn in

any work, or failure to attend class. Instructors have complete discretion to approve or deny a request for an

incomplete based on their assessment of your progress in the course. This decision is not grievable.

The student is allowed 30 days aer the beginning of the next scheduled session, excluding summers and

regardless of the student’s enrollment status, to remove the incomplete grade. Normally, only one extension

for each I may be granted, and only under unusual circumstances. The extension must be approved in writing

by the instructor of the course and the chair of the department in which the course was taken. The extension

will indicate the nature and amount of work to be completed and the time limit. (Under this policy you are

prohibited from removing the I by repeating the course.) A letter grade of I converts to F unless the incom-

plete is removed within the time specied.

Any student who receives a grade of I is ineligible for graduation, including earning a master’s degree en

route to a doctoral degree, until the incomplete work has been resolved and a letter grade submitted to the

Oce of the Registrar.

Procedure for student:

If an instructor grants you an incomplete, ask your instructor to provide a written

statement of the work to be completed and the due deadline.

Procedure for instructor: At the student’s request, you should provide a written statement of the work

to be completed. Instructors have ten working days aer the deadline to grade make-up work and submit

the nal grade to the Oce of the Registrar. You should not accept work submitted aer the deadline unless

an extension has been approved. If the student has requested an extension, the instructor should submit

the request to the Oce of the Registrar by the deadline specied on the make-up form. Once the student

has submitted the completed work, you should submit the make-up form to the Oce of Enrolled Student

Services for the grade to be recorded.

GPA (grade point average)

In calculating your grade point average (GPA; sometimes referred to as a grade point ratio or GPR), the total

number of grade points accumulated is divided by the total number of credit hours attempted at Clemson during

the semester, session, or other period for which the grade point ratio is being calculated. For each credit hour, the

student receives grade points as follows: A: 4.00, A–: 3.66, B+: 3.34, B: 3.00, B–: 2.66, C+: 2.34, C: 2.00, C–:

1.66, F: 0, I: 0, W: 0. Audited courses do not carry credit and are not noted on your academic record.

Computing and resetting the grade point average (GPA)

Clemson University recognizes the independence of graduate degrees; that is, credits earned for a completed

degree may not be used towards a second degree. As such, it is the policy of the Graduate School to reset the

grade point average following completion of any graduate degree, with one exception: that of a master’s degree

earned en route to the PhD in the same discipline.

Academic records

Your permanent academic record is maintained in the Oce of the Registrar and contains personal identifying

information, grades, and credits. The academic record, maintained in accordance with the University’s retention

policy, is a historical record of a student’s academic progress.

Transcripts

All information related to obtaining an ocial transcript is available on the Registrar’s website. A Transcript

request form is also available as a PDF from the Oce of the Registrar. The University does not currently oer

an electronic ocial transcript.

2.5. Degree Requirements

The Master’s degree

Credits required

Consistent with our regional accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission

on Colleges (SACSCOC), Clemson University requires a minimum of thirty hours beyond the bachelor’s

degree for any master’s degree. At least one-half of the total graduate credit hours required by the advisory

committee, exclusive of thesis research, must be selected from courses numbered 8000 or above.

Your GS Plan of Study will determine your specic requirements for the degree as determined by your

advisory committee, consistent with the specic program guidelines and Graduate School policy. These cred-

its constitute the core of your graduate degree curriculum. Supplemental courses (undergraduate or graduate

courses to broaden your academic experience) are not required to be included on the GS Plan of Study;

however, if a listing is desirable, such courses may be included.

Thesis option

Each program includes a minimum of 24 hours of graduate credit and a minimum of six hours of master’s

thesis research (8910).

Non-thesis option

Each program includes a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit, none of which may be master’s thesis

research.

Programs with a minor

A minor outside the degree program, if chosen and/or required by the program, shall consist of at least sixcredit

hours in that area.

Residence

There is no University-wide residence requirement for a master’s degree; however, individual degree programs

may establish such a requirement.

Thesis grades

Thesis research is graded on a pass/fail (P/F) basis. The accumulation of grades of pass (P) in thesis research

does not infer completion of the research, but only indicates satisfactory progress. Receipt of a grade of fail

(F) implies unsatisfactory progress and may be cause for dismissal from the Graduate School, irrespective of

grade point average.

Thesis proposal

Students must submit a thesis proposal to their committee that conforms to any guidelines within their grad-

uate program handbook, and the proposal must be approved prior to substantive work on the thesis. The

GS-ResearchApproval form Advisory Committee Thesis/Dissertation Research Approval should be submitted

to Enrolled Student Services as evidence of approval of the project as proposed.

Time limit

A master’s student has six years from the date of rst matriculation to complete a degree; therefore, all course-

work to be credited toward any master’s degree must have been enrolled in and completed within six (6)

calendar years prior to the date on which the degree is to be awarded. When recommended by your advisory

committee and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School, as many as six credit hours of coursework

taken at Clemson University, but completed outside the six-year limit, may be revalidated by a written com-

prehensive examination based on the latest syllabus and course content. Independent study courses are not

subject to revalidation. Coursework completed outside the six-year time limit at an institution other than

Clemson University may not be transferred to Clemson. Courses taken at any institution other than Clemson

University may not be revalidated for graduate credit at Clemson. A student exceeding the six-year time limit

may be dismissed for failure to maintain adequate progress toward the degree.

The Specialist in Education degree

The requirements pertaining to residence, time limits, and nal examinations for master’s degrees also apply to

the Specialist in Education degree. Coursework required includes 30 credit hours beyond the master’s degree.

Consult the College of Education and individual programs’ graduate program handbooks for details on

the various EdS programs. All graduate degrees below the doctoral level are subject to the six-year time limit.

The Doctoral degree (PhD, EdD, DNP)

Coursework leading to the doctoral degree is planned to give you a comprehensive knowledge of your eld

of specialization and a mastery of the methods of research. The degree is not awarded solely on the basis of

coursework completed, residence, completion of preliminary or comprehensive examinations, or other rou-

tine requirements. The nal basis for granting the degree is your grasp of the subject matter across a broad

eld of study, your competence in planning and conducting research, and the ability to express yourself ade-

quately and professionally both orally and in writing. Ultimately, only your advisory committee can certify

that you have earned this degree.

Some doctoral programs allow students with a bachelor’s degree to matriculate directly into the doctoral

degree program. The Graduate School website hosts a list of these programs, as well as the form that current

Clemson undergraduate students may use to explore shortening their enrollment time in these “direct entry”

doctoral programs by applying graduate credits to both undergraduate and graduate program requirements.

Program of study and credit requirements

In accord with SACSCOC

guidelines, the Graduate School requires that a doctoral degree comprise a min-

imum of 30 credits beyond the master’s degree, and at least 60 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. The

8. This policy became eective 1 August 2011. Students enrolled before that date are bound by the minimum credit requirements in eect when

they enrolled.

9. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

advisory committee aids you in developing an individualized curriculum (to be outlined in the GS Plan of

Study) which meets program requirements and provides appropriate training to meet your goals.

A minimum of 12 credit hours of non-research coursework and a minimum of 18 hours of dissertation

research are required for any doctoral degree.

Residency

The goal of residency is to facilitate specied engagement with members of the faculty of the University and

under direct mentorship and advisement of a research advisor and advisory committee in the department or

program of the major. Further, it enables the student to participate in other typical activities pertinent to the

development of a scholarly prole. As such, all doctoral programs at Clemson University should integrate

1)disciplinary depth and breadth, 2)scholarly immersion, 3)professional socialization, and 4)professional

practice into the residency expectations of their students. Residency can incorporate research training of

individuals and groups, laboratory activities, networking opportunities with other students and other schol-

ars, assisting with grant proposals, and participation in scholarly outlets such as scholarly publications and

presentations.

Residency for doctoral degree programs can be accomplished through one of three mechanisms:

■ Two consecutive semesters of full-time enrollment on a Clemson University campus: Students

will be expected to be immersed in research and professional development activities consistent with the

expectations of the residency requirement listed above.

■ Alternative program plan: Specic degree programs may propose an alternative plan by which all

enrolled students in that program will achieve residency expectations to be approved by the Graduate

School. Alternative plans may be proposed for o-campus, online, and traditionally part-time enrolled

programs.

■ Alternative student plan: An alternative proposal for an individual student to achieve residency goals

must be approved by the advisory committee and the Graduate School. The plan must be submitted

at least one semester before implementation and included on the GS Plan of Study. Approved plans

may be revised and resubmitted as warranted.

Each doctoral program must determine the permissible options for doctoral students to meet the residency

requirement and include in their respective program handbook. Programs may incorporate any or all of the

three options listed above. All students will be required to adhere to the full-time enrollment based require-

ment unless an alternative plan has been submitted by the program and approved by the Graduate School.

New program proposals must include the mechanism for satisfying the residency requirement.

Alternative residency plans (program and student) must include specic descriptions as to how the goals

of residency will be met. As such, the plans should address the following:

Disciplinary depth and breadth

■ Access to a variety of classes and academic experiences within the student’s eld and related disciplines;

■ Access to library resources, information technology, and laboratory resources;

■ Quality and rigor of the program through engagement with and scrutiny by peers.

Scholarly immersion

■ Development of the student’s capacity to make signicant original contributions to the knowledge

base in their eld (e.g., individual and group research training, assisting with external funded

10. Approved by Graduate Council 4 May 2017. Approved by Academic Council 18 January 2018.

grant proposals, participation at scholarly conferences, publications or other forms of scholarly

dissemination).

■ Ability to understand and evaluate critically the literature of the eld and to apply appropriate

principles and procedures to the recognition, evaluation, interpretation and understanding of

contemporary issues and problems within the eld.

Professional socialization

■ Substantive interaction with faculty and other scholars for disciplinary guidance and mentorship;

■ Interaction with fellow graduate students on scholarly and professional issues;

■ Provision of a broad range of professional development experiences to develop dispositions and guard

against over-specialization;

■ Access to a wide spectrum of seminars, professional presentations, and contact with leaders within

their discipline.

Professional practice

■ Awareness of and commitment to the ethical and regulatory principles and practices appropriate to

theeld.

Preliminary or qualifying examinations

The Graduate School does not require programs to administer preliminary or qualifying examinations.

However, some doctoral programs require that preliminary or qualifying examinations be taken prior to the

comprehensive examination. These types of examinations are intended to provide an early, general assessment

of a student’s mastery of content and/or conceptual understanding of the research process. The structure,

duration, review and re-examination policies for qualifying examinations are dened in writing by the pro-

gram faculty in the graduate program handbook for the respective program.

Comprehensive examinations

The comprehensive exam is designed to evaluate your overall mastery of a body of knowledge and skills aer

most of the program of study is completed. The particular form of the comprehensive examination in any

degree program is described in that graduate program handbook. You may attempt the comprehensive exam-

ination only on the recommendation of your advisory committee and only aer completion of most of the

required coursework. This examination must be administered by faculty of the Clemson University pro-

gram oering the degree, according to published program policies. A majority decision is required; dissenting

members of the examining committee may forward a minority report to the Graduate School. Your perfor-

mance on this examination will determine whether you will be recommended for admission to candidacy for

the degree.

Satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examination must occur at least six months prior to the

date of graduation, except where the program handbook species a dierent timeline.

Should you fail to pass the comprehensive examination, you may be given a second opportunity only by

recommendation of the examining committee. Committees are encouraged to carefully consider a student’s

likelihood of successfully completing the exam aer they fail the rst attempt and to recommend dismissal

for any student whose performance is so poor that it is unlikely that a second attempt will be successful. For

a student who is permitted a second attempt, a minimum of two months must pass before the student can

undergo a second comprehensive examination. A second failure will result in the student being dismissed

from Clemson University.

Doctoral students who have passed a comprehensive examination, and who decide to change degree pro-

grams, must complete a comprehensive exam in the new degree program.

Procedure for student: Prior to scheduling the comprehensive examination, you must have selected an

advisory committee and have an approved graduate degree curriculum (GS Plan of Study) on le in the

Oce of Enrolled Student Services. Comprehensive examinations are scheduled individually by the depart-

ments. Consult with your graduate program coordinator and major advisor for appropriate advice on prepar-

ing for and scheduling the comprehensive examination.

Procedure for committee:

Within three weeks of the examination, the chair of the advisory committee

will inform the Oce of Enrolled Student Services of the result of the comprehensive exam, via form GSD

Results of the Doctoral Comprehensive Exam and Candidacy.

Candidacy

A doctoral (PhD, EdD, DNP) student becomes a candidate for the doctorate (or is “admitted to candidacy”)

upon successful completion of the comprehensive examination and dissertation proposal. Completion is doc-

umented by submitting the GSD form Results of the Doctoral Comprehensive Exam and Candidacy to the

Oce of Enrolled Student Services, and submitting the GS-ResearchApproval form Advisory Committee

Thesis/Dissertation Research Approval to Enrolled Student Services indicating that the committee has

ap proved the proposed research topic.

Dissertation

The candidate for a doctoral degree receives academic credit for conducting research and preparing a disserta-

tion under the direction of the research advisor. A dissertation, mandatory for all candidates for the doctoral

degree, requires 18 hours of doctoral research (9910) exclusive of any research credits earned at the master’s

level. See also Finalizing your thesis or dissertation aer defense.

Time limit

All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within eight (8) years from the date you rst

matriculate into a doctoral degree program at Clemson. The time limit applies to all doctoral programs, even

cases where a student is receiving a master’s degree en route to the doctorate. This clock does not stop for leave

of absence. Programs may petition for dierent time limits for their program for good cause. In exceptional

circumstances, a student may petition the Graduate School for additional time with approval of the advisory

committee. A student who exceeds the time limit without an extension can be dismissed from the Graduate

School for failure to maintain adequate academic progress.

O-campus research

Although thesis and dissertation research is normally performed at Clemson or at Clemson-aliated locations,

in some cases the University may not own appropriate, specialized equipment or facilities. Permission may be

granted for o-campus research according to the following provisions:

1. Written consent and research plan: You must have the written consent of your thesis/dissertation

advisor, full advisory committee, and department chair prior to engaging in o-campus research. You

must submit a written plan for the research eort to the advisory committee for approval. The plan

should include a discussion of the problem and intended scope of the investigation, and should be

structured in terms of a specic time frame.

2. Statement from the organization where research will be conducted: Your advisory committee may

require a statement from an appropriate ocer of the organization at which you will be located, agreeing

to a) your plan to complete thesis/dissertation research using the organization’s equipment and facilities;

b) the apportioning of at least 25 percent or other appropriate amount of the your employment hours to

thesis research; and/or c) the organization’s release of patent rights or copyrights arising from discoveries

or concepts that evolve during the course of your master’s or dissertation research.

3. Travel: You may be required to travel to the Clemson campus at your own expense to meet with your

thesis/dissertation advisor and advisory committee as oen as the committee deems necessary.

4. Continuous enrollment: You must maintain continuous enrollment at Clemson University while the

research is in progress.

5. Supervision and reports: When research is conducted at a non-Clemson facility, we must be sure that

we are exercising proper and necessary control over this important phase of your study. The following

requirements must be met:

a. An employee at the facility must be identied to supervise your research. This individual must be

qualied and certied for the supervisory position by the department and college involved and by the

Dean of the Graduate School, and must be suitable for graduate faculty status within the academic

unit housing your degree program;

b. A resume of the research supervisor must be submitted to your full advisory committee for review

and recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate School;

c. The research supervisor must provide updates to the advisory committee as to your progress.

Foreign language requirements

Language requirements are determined by programs rather than by the Graduate School. Consult your program’s

graduate program handbook for foreign language requirements and guidelines.

Senior enrollment in graduate courses

Clemson University seniors meeting the accepted academic standard for graduate work (3.0 cumulative grade

point average) are eligible to request enrollment in graduate level courses. Enrollment of seniors in any gradu-

ate course is subject to approval by the department oering the course and by the Graduate School. The total

course workload for the semester must not exceed 18 hours, and the cumulative graduate credits earned by seniors

shall not exceed 12 semester hours. The credits and quality points associated with senior enrollment in graduate

courses will be part of the undergraduate record. Graduate courses used toward an undergraduate degree cannot

be counted toward any graduate degree (including total minimum credit count of 120). Graduate courses taken

beyond the requirements of the undergraduate degree may count toward a graduate degree.

Seniors with 3.4 or higher grade point average. Seniors with 3.4 or higher grade point averages are eligible for

participation in a combined bachelor’s/graduate plan.

Seniors with 3.0 grade point averages. Seniors with 3.0 or higher grade point averages are eligible to request

enrollment in graduate level courses. Courses cannot be taken at the 6000 level if their 4000-level counterparts are

required for the undergraduate degree in the same academic major as the proposed graduate degree (see Course

restriction, -level).

Procedure for student:

Approval by the Graduate School is required prior to registration in any graduate

course. The student should use the appropriate form GS Request for Senior Enrollment or the GS- Bachelor-

to-Graduate Request For Combined Education Plan.

Combined Bachelor’s/Graduate plan

A combined bachelor’s/graduate degree plan may provide a seamless and ecient path for students to complete

both degrees at Clemson. There are several advantages to this process, including automatic admission into the

master’s program (bypassing the application fee and the need to take the GRE), and potentially applying graduate

credits to both undergraduate and graduate program requirements.

To be eligible, the student must have completed the bachelor’s curriculum through the junior year (minimum

90 credits) and have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.4. A maximum of 12 credit hours of graduate

courses in the master’s program may be applied to the bachelor’s program; however, the total credit hours taken

for the two degrees must be at least 150 unique credit hours for the bachelor’s to master’s plan, or 180 unique

credit hours for the bachelor’s-to-doctorate plan. That is, the credit hours counted towards the bachelor’s degree

plus the credit hours taken aer the bachelor’s is awarded must total at least 150 (master’s) or 180 (PhD). Fur-

ther, this total may contain a maximum of six credit hours of thesis/dissertation research, and all credit hours to

be included in the total that are completed aer receiving the bachelor’s degree must be in 6000-level or higher

courses. As determined by the participating bachelor’s program, graduate courses may be applied to the bache-

lor’s degree as electives or technical requirements or by substitution of 7000- or 8000-level courses for required

undergraduate courses. Under no circumstances can 6000-level counterparts of 4000-level courses required for

the bachelor’s degree be counted toward graduate degree requirements. Combined bachelor’s/graduate plan stu-

dents are not eligible for graduate assistantships or fellowships until their bachelor’s degrees have been awarded.

Form GS-Bachelor-to-Graduate Request for Combined Education Plan should be completed and signed by the

student and relevant faculty members, and returned to the Graduate School.

Procedure for student:

While a senior you should consult both your academic advisor and the graduate pro-

gram coordinator of the master’s program you wish to pursue and ocially request participation in the combined

bachelor’s/master’s program by completion of form GS-Bachelor-to-Graduate Request for Combined Education

Plan. Endorsements by the program coordinator or department chair of both programs are required. Note: The

GRE cannot be required for students who are approved via GS-Bachelor-to-Graduate forms to pursue graduate

degree programs.

Procedure for department:

Departments and graduate programs that wish to oer a combined bachelor’s/

graduate program should submit a written notication to the Dean of the Graduate School, identifying the date

on which they intend to make this option available to their students. For each student in this program, depart-

ments and graduate programs should ensure that: 1)the courses to be counted meet the requirements specied

above; 2)there are at least 150 total, unique credit hours counted towards the two degrees; and 3)courses com-

pleted aer the baccalaureate to be counted toward the 150 credit-hour requirement are at the 6000 level or above.

Dual master’s degrees

If a student pursues two master’s degrees simultaneously, one-sixth of the graded graduate coursework may be

applied toward both degrees. The one-sixth course rule references one-sixth of the curriculum with the highest

number of graduate credits. Required core courses for either degree may not be displaced by selecting the option

to participate in the dual degree option.

Procedure for department:

The graduate degree curricula (as recorded on form GS Plan of Study) must

clearly denote that the student is working toward two degrees and must identify the courses that are being applied

to both programs. The Plan of Study form must be submitted in accordance with the Plan of study policy. Com-

mittee members, department chairs, and deans of both graduate programs must approve the two plans of study.

At least one committee member must serve on both committees.

Course restriction, 6000-level

6000-level courses are graduate counterparts of undergraduate 4000-level courses. To enroll in or receive credit for

any courses at the 6000 level or above, you must have been ocially admitted by the Graduate School, either to a

degree program or as a non-degree student, or have been approved to enroll as a senior in graduate-level courses

through request using form GS Request for Senior Enrollment in Graduate Courses, or

form GS- Bachelor-to-

Graduate Request for Combined Education Plan (see previous topic, Dual master’s degrees). You may not enroll

in 6000-level courses for which the corresponding undergraduate 4000-level credit has been awarded, nor can

graduate credit be awarded retroactively for 4000-level undergraduate courses already completed.

Duplication of graduate degrees

A student holding a master’s degree or a doctoral degree (from Clemson or any other institution) may not, as a

rule, become a candidate for the same degree in the same eld of study.

Certicate programs

Graduate certicates are ocial credentials oered by Clemson University and approved by the South Carolina

Commission on Higher Education in the same manner as are all degree programs. Each has its own application and

admission process, as well as individual requirements. Graduate certicates will be noted on ocial transcripts, and

a written certicate will be given to the student upon completion of the requirements. Tuition and fees vary by cer-

ticate program and number of hours the certicate encompasses. Find more information at the Graduate School’s

Tuition and Fees web page or in the individual certicate description provided by the hosting department.

Graduate certicates require a minimum of nine credit hours. No more than one-third of the total credit

hours may be 6000-level credits from 4000/6000 courses. All other credits must be at the 7000 level or higher and

may include no more than three credit hours of research. A minimum grade of B is required in all courses. Courses

counted toward a certicate can also be counted toward a degree program. A Graduate Certicate Curriculum

form should be completed and submitted.

Credit by examination

Graduate students are not eligible to receive credit by examination other than through utilization of the form,

policy and procedures on course revalidation (form GSCV). All course work to be credited toward any of the

master’s degrees must have been enrolled in and completed within six (6) calendar years prior to the date on

which the degree is to be awarded. For example, a student graduating in the spring semester must have started and

completed all course work within the 72-month period beginning with the summer term six years earlier. When

recommended by the student’s advisory committee and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School, as many

as six semester hours of course work at Clemson University completed outside the six-year limit may be validated

by written examination. Such examinations will be under the direction of the department regularly oering the

course or courses for which the student seeks validation. Course work completed outside the six-year time limit at

an institution other than Clemson University may not be transferred to Clemson or validated for graduate credit.

Exceptions to the credit limit and time period may be considered only in unusual circumstances and with approval

from the Graduate School.

2.6. Nearing Graduation

Graduation requirements

A candidate for graduation is a student who has submitted an application to graduate via iROAR by the Apply to

Graduate deadline prescribed in the University calendar for a particular graduation date. Only candidates who

have completed all graduation requirements are permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony.

Procedure for student:

Follow the steps below and visit the Graduation deadlines web page and the theses

and dissertations web pages for additional information.

■ Early in the year you expect to graduate: Contact the Enrolled Student Services Oce early in the

calendar year in which you plan to graduate to conrm your graduation status and eligibility. Ensure

you have proposed and secured approval for your thesis or dissertation, and have submitted the research

approval form, prior to engaging in substantive work on the project.

■ At the beginning of the semester in which you desire to graduate: A candidate for a degree is required

to apply for the diploma within three weeks following the opening of the nal semester or the opening of

the rst summer session prior to the date the degrees are to be awarded. Applications for graduation must

be submitted online through the student’s iROAR account.

■ Work with your chair/advisor to nalize your thesis/dissertation: Your research advisor will

determine when your thesis/dissertation is suitable for initial review by the rest of your advisory

committee. At this point, you and your advisor will provide a copy of the manuscript to each committee

member. This must take place at least three weeks prior to the defense. Committee members may request

more than three weeks to review the thesis/dissertation. These deadlines should be coordinated through

your committee chair. For your convenience, the Graduate School website provides templates, sample

les, and other information to help you format your manuscript.

■ Schedule your thesis or dissertation defense: You must hold your defense at least two weeks (14

calendar days) prior to the deadline for submission of the GS form, or a minimum four weeks (28

calendar days) prior to the commencement at which you plan to graduate. This provides minimal time

for edits and responses to the defense, formatting review, and further edits based on formatting review. If

your thesis or dissertation requires signicant revisions, or substantial formatting changes, you may not

have enough time to provide edits and complete all other steps for graduation. We encourage students to

schedule defenses as early as is practical.

■ Notify Enrolled Student Services of date, time, location and other details of your defense at least ten

(10) calendar days prior to your defense. To do this, complete the online defense form that will add your

defense to the calendar. Submitting the form will generate an email to Enrolled Services, and this email

will serve as your ocial written notication.

■ Hold your defense as scheduled. Note that students may not provide refreshments, snacks, gis, or other

inducements during the defense. The department may provide these if desired, as long as the student does

not pay for them.

■ Revise your thesis/dissertation to respond to committee recommendations during defense. Once your

committee and chair are satised with your thesis/dissertation and all revisions are nal and approved,

they will complete the appropriate GS form. This form must be submitted to Enrolled Student Services

at least two weeks (14 calendar days) before commencement. Note that if committee-required revisions

are substantial, you may not be able to meet subsequent deadlines for graduation and may have to defer to

a future graduation date.

■ Submit to the Graduate School for formatting review: You must submit your approved thesis or

dissertation to the Graduate School at least two weeks (14 calendar days) before commencement. The

Graduate School will review the thesis or dissertation to ensure that it complies with the formatting

guidelines established by the Graduate School, particularly the preliminary pages of the document but

including the page size and margins, and consistent formatting throughout the manuscript. Manuscript

submission and review is completed online. Step-by-step instructions and helpful tips for the process,

including formatting, defense, le conversion, submission via upload, revision, and nal approval, are

available at the Theses and Dissertations page on the Graduate School website. You will be notied via

email when the review is complete. Manuscripts will be approved by the Graduate School only if and

when no changes are required. Typically, theses and dissertations are reviewed within three business days

of receipt by the Graduate School, though it may take longer if you submit close to or on the deadline

date. In addition, you must allow for the possibility that format revisions will be required aer one (or

more) initial reviews and plan your submission accordingly. Note that ocial approval for graduation

includes both manuscript acceptance by the Manuscript Review Oce and the receipt of the completed

form GSM Final Exam and Thesis Approval Form or form GSD Dissertation Defense and Approval by

Enrolled Student Services.

Master’s degree programs

For degree programs that require a nal examination, your graduate program handbook should outline the

nature of the exam, when students are expected to complete the exam, and how it is evaluated.

Following successful completion of the exam and acceptance of the terminal project, if one is required, form

GSM Final Exam and Thesis Approval should be submitted to Enrolled Student Services.

For degree programs that require a thesis, the Graduate School provides programs broad latitude for creating

appropriate processes for proposal, formatting, and defense of theses. The graduate program handbook should

outline the processes required regarding proposal of a thesis project, guidelines for how the thesis should be for-

matted, how it is evaluated, and how it is defended. In addition, you must le a completed GS-ResearchApproval

form with your committee members’ signatures concurrently with your GS5D form (with Enrolled Student Ser-

vices). See Approval of your thesis/dissertation proposal topic below. Information about thesis formatting for

electronic publication and archiving is covered in Finalizing your thesis or dissertation aer defense below.

Doctoral degree programs

Dissertation proposal

Once advanced to candidacy, you must submit a proposal to your advisory committee outlining the details of

the research you hope to do to fulll the dissertation requirement. Each program should have a process for the

evaluation, defense, and endorsement of dissertation proposals. Endorsement of the proposal by the commit-

tee (ideally in written form) serves as the “contract” between the committee and you outlining scope of the

project, and should occur prior to data collection. In addition, the Graduate School requires you to le (with

Enrolled Student Services) a completed GS-ResearchApproval form with your committee members’ signa-

tures concurrently with your GS5D form. See Approval of your thesis/dissertation proposal topic below.

Submitting your dissertation for committee review

You will present your completed dissertation manuscript to your committee chair and advisory committee

in accordance with the guidelines outlined in your program’s graduate program handbook and within the

timeline established by your major advisor and/or advisory committee. This timeline must meet University

deadlines above.

Your committee chair determines when the manuscript is suitable for initial review by the remaining com-

mittee members. Once your advisor decides the dra is ready to share with the rest of your committee, you

will provide each committee member with a copy of the manuscript for review. Committee members should

normally complete the initial review of your dissertation in three weeks or less; however, agreements may be

made to allow for additional time if necessary.

Dissertation oral defense

You must pass an oral examination (the dissertation defense) which your committee will administer. Defenses

are public events — members of the Clemson University community are invited to attend the examination.

Defenses not open to the public should be rare and for good cause. Personal preference does not constitute

“good cause” but reasonable University accommodations for documented accessibility needs do constitute

“good cause.” Departments may have a standard procedure for these announcements/invitations, which will

be outlined in the program’s graduate program handbook.

The student should schedule the oral defense with enough time for committee review and for each com-

mittee member to be in attendance (in person or virtually). A majority decision from synchronously par-

ticipating committee members in support of the oral examination is required for a student to considered to

have passed the exam; dissenting members of the examining committee may forward a minority report to the

Graduate School. A vote of “pass” at a thesis/dissertation defense should only be rendered when each partic-

ipating committee member indicates nal approval (or dissent) of the dissertation by signing form GSD

Dissertation Defense and Approval.

Note that students are not allowed to provide refreshments, snacks, gis, or inducements for the oral

defense. Programs or faculty may provide these if they desire, as long as the student does not pay for them.

A committee member who is unable to participate synchronously in the defense, either in person or via

audio or video conference, may not vote on the oral defense. They must be counted as an abstention, as they

did not participate in the oral defense. Meeting individually with the student is not an acceptable substitute

for participating in the oral exam.

A student must still receive a passing vote from the majority of the committee members (two out of four

counts as majority where an advisory committee contains four members). If one is absent and counted as an

abstention, a student would then need two armative passing votes if a committee contains either three or

four members, or three passing votes if ve or six members constitute the advisory committee.

The committee should not sign form GS7D until the manuscript is responsive to all committee members’

concerns and recommendations. If a student submits a manuscript requiring substantial revisions, there might

not sucient time for revisions and committee review and approval before the submission deadline for for-

mat review. In these cases, graduation may have to be deferred to a future graduation date.

A student who fails an oral defense may be allowed a second opportunity only at the recommendation of

the advisory committee. Committees should only grant a second attempt when there is a strong probability of

success. If the performance in the rst exam leaves committee members feeling that there is a low probability

for success on the second attempt, the student should be recommended to the Graduate School for dismissal.

Failure of the second dissertation defense must result in dismissal from the Graduate School.

Graduate School approval of your thesis/dissertation proposal

Research activities with the intention of leading to the completion of a thesis or dissertation must be approved

by the student’s advisory committee. Typically, this process involves a formal proposal with the advisory com-

mittee members present. Upon approval of the student’s research plan, the GS-ResearchApproval, Approval of

Thesis/Dissertation Research Proposal form is to be submitted to Enrolled Services. This form communicates for-

mal approval for the student to embark on the research project as proposed. If signicant deviations from the

approved plan become necessary, another proposal defense is warranted.

The student is expected to bring a copy of the GS-ResearchApproval form to the scheduled proposal defense.

Upon committee approval (minor changes notwithstanding) the form is to be completed by the advisory com-

mittee and submitted to Enrolled Student Services. If additional changes are expected before commencing with

the research, those may be included on the form and/or as an attachment. Unsuccessful proposal defenses (e.g.,

signicant changes required) necessitate another proposal defense to be scheduled. The form is not to be submit-

ted until a successful proposal defense (as determined by the advisory committee) has been veried. If the pro-

posal process is commensurate with the requirements for the comprehensive exam, this form should be submitted

concurrently with the GSD form.

Finalizing your thesis or dissertation aer defense and committee approval

Formatting and format approval

The Graduate School has delegated authority to graduate programs and students’ advisory committees to

determine the appropriate format for publication of theses and dissertations in accordance with standards

acceptable to the discipline. Consequently, each program handbook must contain specific information about

program expectations for theses and dissertations.

The Graduate School will review the thesis or dissertation to ensure that it complies with the guidelines

established by the Graduate School for formatting, particularly the preliminary pages of the document but

including the page size and margins, and consistent formatting throughout the manuscript. Manuscript sub-

mission and review is completed online. Step-by-step instructions and helpful tips for the process, including

formatting, defense, le conversion, submission via upload, revision, and nal approval, are available on the

Theses and Dissertations pages on the Graduate School website. Review typically requires at least three busi-

ness days, and if formatting corrections are needed, the entire review process may take longer.

Publishing, archiving and printing

The Graduate School publishes theses and dissertations electronically in partnership with ProQuest and

the University Libraries. You will nd a step-by-step guide to the submission process in the Theses and

Dissertations section of the Graduate School website. There are no fees required to upload, publish, and

archive your thesis or dissertation; fees apply only to the order of printed, bound copies and to certain

ProQuest publishing options such as open-access publishing (note that the University Libraries provide this

at no charge) and copyright ling with the U.S. Oce of Copyright.

The Graduate School does not require you to purchase any printed copies, but some departments do (see

the online list of departments requiring bound copies). You may order printed, bound copies of your man-

uscript when you initially submit them for review, or aer your manuscript has been published. Any program

requiring a student to purchase printed copies must state this clearly in the program handbook, along with

any requirements for binding style, size, paper quality, etc. You may, of course, have your own personal copies

printed and bound wherever you wish, and are not limited having your manuscript printed only by ProQuest.

Approximately eight weeks aer your graduation (or aer your publication embargo expires, whichever is

later) your thesis or dissertation will be available for viewing online at ProQuest and in the TigerPrints repos-

itory on Cooper Library’s website.

Restrictions on publication and publication embargoes

It is expected that the results of research performed using University facilities be published in the open litera-

ture (i.e., theses, dissertations, journals, magazines, or books) and that any information obtained may be freely

disclosed by the faculty in the teaching programs of the University. Exceptional cases may arise, however. The

guidelines below shall apply to any projects requiring that results be kept condential for a limited period of

time; a request for delay of publication is also referred to as an embargo.

■ The University shall not accept external contracts/grants that require research results to be kept

condential forever. A denite term of condentiality shall be stated in a written nondisclosure

agreement that is approved by the Dean of the Graduate School and shall not exceed one year beyond

the date of notication to the sponsor that a manuscript suitable for publication has been prepared.

Exceptions and extensions may be granted by the University administration only under unusual

circumstances (e.g., national security, national emergency, classied activities, pursuit of patents, or

certain condential agreements), with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School.

■ Students associated with condential projects must have prior approval for the use of results in

preparing reports, theses, or dissertations in fulllment of degree requirements. The Graduate School

usually will not accept a thesis or dissertation that must be embargoed for more than one year.

Documents submitted in partial fulllment of degree requirements will be retained by the Graduate

School (or the department in the case of project reports for non-thesis programs) in accordance with

the nondisclosure agreement. The student’s thesis or dissertation defense shall not be open to those not

bound by the nondisclosure agreement.

■ Students may request an embargo period not to exceed one year, but may request a renewal for

additional years with approval from the Graduate School.

Procedure:

Students have the opportunity to specify an embargo period as part of the online

submission process. In addition, embargo requests must be directed via email originated by the

advisor to the Graduate School Director of Communications, Jill Bunch. Students must include their

advisor(s) in embargo consideration and correspondence. It is preferred that the advisor originate the

email request to the Graduate School. Embargoes are granted for up to one year, with the option to

request renewal for up to one additional year.

Restrictions on use

Theses and dissertations submitted to the Graduate School in partial fulllment of the requirements for grad-

uate degrees and deposited in the University Library are, as a rule, open to the public for reference purposes.

Extended quotations or summaries may be published only with the permission of the author and the Dean of

the Graduate School.

2.7. Special Circumstances

Academic probation

Graduate students who fail to meet the following minimum academic standards for graduate studies at Clemson

University are placed on academic probation. These minimum standards include a cumulative 3.0 grade point

average in:

■ all graduate-level courses (6000-level or above); and

■ all courses listed in the GS Plan of Study;

Courses taken on a pass/fail basis are not included in GPA calculations, but failures can indicate failure to maintain

adequate performance or to make satisfactory progress toward degree and can lead to probation. The cumulative

3.0 GPA requirement applies independently to graduate degrees; that is, a new grade point average computation

begins aer the completion of the rst degree.

The Graduate School recognizes any course completed with minimum grade of C– for the course to apply

toward a degree. Programs may have higher expectations if desired, and these must be clearly articulated in the

graduate program handbook. Students who fail to meet these requirements become ineligible for graduation and

remain on academic probation until they earn the requisite 3.0 grade point average or are dismissed.

Procedure for student:

If you are a graduate student placed on academic probation, you should meet with

your major advisor and/or graduate program coordinator to ensure that the expectations for removal of the pro-

bationary status are clearly dened and that you understand them. You must submit an R Plan for Success or R

Second Plan for Success form not later than the date specied in the probation notication (typically around the

beginning of classes for the next term).

Graduate assistants and fellowship recipients:

If you are a graduate student on academic probation, you may

be in jeopardy of having your assistantship or fellowship terminated, particularly if you are on probation more

than one semester. Programs may choose not to reappoint a student failing to perform to expected standards

academically or in reference to assistantship duties. You should consult your graduate program handbook for

program expectations. The Graduate School reserves the right to declare a student ineligible for an assistantship

or fellowship independent of program decisions.

Dismissals

A student may be dismissed from the Graduate School for failure to maintain adequate academic status or prog-

ress, receipt of F or NP for thesis or dissertation credits, second failure on a nal or comprehensive exam, second

failure on a thesis or dissertation defense, failure to meet required program expectations, failure to maintain con-

tinuous enrollment, student conduct issues, or academic integrity violations. Dismissed students are permitted to

reapply to the Graduate School to pursue the same or dierent degree program unless they have been permanently

dismissed. Admission decisions will be considered upon recommendation by the program area. Permanently dis-

missed students will not be considered for any Clemson academic degree, certicate, or non-degree enrollment.

Student dismissals for academic reasons are determined by the Graduate School, whereas student dismissals

for conduct reasons are determined by the Oce of Conduct and Ethical Standards (OCES).

Infraction

Sanction

(if mandated or

recommended) Returning criteria

Failure to maintain adequate academic status or

maintain satisfactory progress

Dismissal ■ 1-year waiting period if requesting academic renewal

■ New graduate application required if not employing

academic renewal

Failure to maintain adequate academic status or

maintain satisfactory progress

Dismissal ■ New graduate application required

Receipt of F or NP for master’s or doctoral research

credits

Dismissal ■ New graduate application required

Second failure of comprehensive exam Dismissal ■ New graduate application required

Failure of second nal exam or thesis for master’s

degree programs

Dismissal ■ New graduate application required

Failure to complete other program milestones

(e.g., prelim exam, required projects, not meeting

stipulations in Plan for Success, etc.)

Dismissal ■ New graduate application required

11. Revision dra date 21 April 2017. Approved by Graduate Council 9 May 2017. Approved by Academic Council 18 January 2018.

Infraction

Sanction

(if mandated or

recommended) Returning criteria

Failure to complete dissertation in allotted time

period

Dismissal ■ New graduate application required

Failure of second dissertation defense Dismissal ■ New graduate application required

Failure to maintain continuous enrollment Dismissal ■ New graduate application required

Student conduct Dismissal ■ Dependent on results and sanctions from conduct

hearing; communicated by OCES

Level four academic integrity violation Permanent

dismissal

■ Permanent dismissal from the university

Procedure for department: A program wishing to recommend dismissal of a graduate student should sub-

mit a request, along with a rationale, to the Dean of the Graduate School. At the end of each semester, program

co ordinators are notied of students who have grade point averages below 3.0 or who have other indicators of fail-

ure to make satisfactory progress (e.g., failure to complete milestones according to stated deadlines). The Gradu-

ate School will designate the level of probation (R1 or R2) to be assigned to each student or will determine that

the student should be dismissed.

Dismissal appeals

Appeals of dismissal related to academic performance/satisfactory progress are heard by the Graduate Ad -

missions and Continuing Enrollment Appeals Committee. The burden of proof is on the student to demon-

strate the dismissal decision was the result of improper or unfair process. This constitutes the only grounds

for appealing a dismissal decision. Disagreement with the decision does not constitute grounds for appeal or

reversal of decision.

Procedure for student:

An appeal of continuing enrollment (dismissal) must be submitted in writing by the

graduate student within 30 days of the date of the ocial letter received from the Graduate School indicating

dismissal.

1. The student should submit the written statement requesting the appeal on form GS-Appeal and provide

evidence that the dismissal decision was unfairly or improperly rendered. Any supporting documentation

for the committee to consider should be attached to this form.

2. Within ve business days (excluding days the University is closed) of receipt, the Graduate School will

make available to the committee the student’s appeal request, the student’s Enrolled Services le, the

recommendation for dismissal, and any relevant documents provided by the student. The Graduate

School will also provide the graduate program coordinator with a copy of the student’s appeal request

within the same time frame.

3. The Graduate School will identify the earliest hearing date, and will schedule the meeting, reserve the

room, and notify all parties of the time and location of the hearing.

4. A designee of the Dean of the Graduate School will attend the hearings to provide procedural guidance

but will have no vote in the decision of the committee.

5. The student will be called in rst by the chair of the committee to present their case. Following

conclusion of the student’s presentation, they will be excused.

6. The faculty representing the graduate program will be called in next by the chair of the committee to

present program’s rationale for recommending dismissal. The faculty may bring to the meeting any

relevant documents to share with the members of the committee. These documents will be retained with

the case in accordance with the University’s regulations on retention.

7. The committee will make a decision on the case, which will be communicated immediately to the student

and the program coordinator. This communication will be in the form of an email notication. A letter,

under the signature of the Graduate School, will also be mailed to each party.

8. Appeals of the decisions of the committee may be made by the student to the Dean of the Graduate

School within ten calendar days of the decision of the committee. Appeals of these decisions can only

be made when there is evidence that the appeals committee unfairly or improperly applied policy or

procedure in arriving at their decision. Disagreement with the decision is not grounds for appeal.

Withdrawing from Clemson University

Withdrawing from the University occurs when you voluntarily decide to leave Clemson and discontinue your

degree program (as well as any assistantship or fellowship or other nancial aid). This is dierent from a medical

withdrawal or dropping a course. To withdraw from Clemson University, you should visit the Registrar’s With-

drawal checklist and follow the instructions to eect immediate separation from the University. Withdrawal

includes dropping all courses via iRoar, but you must notify Enrolled Student Services and your program coordi-

nator as well. Note that if you have pending issues of concern, such as an academic integrity or community stan-

dards violation, the Graduate School may delay taking action on your request until those issues are settled. The

Graduate School reserves the right to dismiss a student rather than approving a withdrawal.

For international students, withdrawing from Clemson University will likely have visa implications. Be sure to

communicate with International Services prior to withdrawing.

Withdrawal from Clemson does not prevent you from reapplying to a program in the future.

Medical Withdrawal

A medical withdrawal request may be considered in unexpected cases in which serious illness or injury (medical)

or other documentable challenge prevents a student from continuing academic work during the semester, and an

arrangement for incompletes is not possible. Medical withdrawals can be considered for both physical and mental

health circumstances. Approved medical withdrawals will replace all course grades for the approved term with a

W grade. This action applies to all courses a student is enrolled in during the semester in question; it may not be

applied selectively to some courses but not others.

Procedure for student:

Requests for a medical withdrawal are submitted directly to the Associate Dean of the

Graduate School. The request may be submitted via email or by sealed envelope if condential documentation

is involved. Such requests are considered only for current terms and involve withdrawal from all classes. Medical

withdrawal requests received aer the last day of classes will only be considered in exceptional cases where the

student is physically incapable of submitting the request (e.g., incapacitated physical state) and requires additional

documentation for the extension.

A medical withdrawal request must include medical documentation along with a student statement justifying

the withdrawal. The statement must be accompanied by credible documentation from a healthcare provider that

species the following:

■ the date of onset of illness;

■ the dates you were under professional care;

■ the general nature of your medical condition and why/how it prevented you from completing your

coursework;

■ the date of your anticipated return to school; and

■ the last date you were able to attend class

If approved, an administrative hold will be placed on the student record until the healthcare provider supplies

documentation conveying that the student is well enough to return to the university and resume academic re quire-

ments.

The eective date of withdrawal from class (last date of attendance) will be used to calculate any tuition refund,

if applicable. Students receiving nancial assistance are encouraged to review how a withdrawal will impact their

nancial status. Medical withdrawal requests from students supported by an assistantship may not be granted if

the assistantship responsibilities for the term have been completed. Each such case will be considered individually

based upon the nature of the request. International students are encouraged to consult the International Services

oce to determine the impact a withdrawal may have on their status.

A written appeal of the decision regarding a medical withdrawal may be made by the student to the Dean of

the Graduate School within ten calendar days of the decision. Appeals of these decisions can only be made when

there is evidence that the appeals committee unfairly or improperly applied policy or procedure in arriving at their

decision. Disagreement with the decision is not grounds for appeal.

In cases where a matriculated student needs to take time away from the program or needs to withdraw before

classes start (e.g., anticipated surgery) a Leave of Absence request should be submitted instead of a medical with-

drawal request.

Posthumous graduate degree

A graduate student who has passed away aer making signicant progress toward the degree, and who had a strong

likelihood of successfully completing the degree, may be awarded that degree posthumously on the recommen-

dation of the faculty of the college concerned. The student’s advisory committee should recommend awarding of

the degree to the department chair, who will then send the recommendation to the college dean, who will forward

to the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School will forward this request to the Oce of

the Registrar, where it will be processed. The diploma will be mailed to the requesting relative of the decedent.

Posthumous degrees are not awarded during commencement ceremonies.

Academic redemption

There is no opportunity at the graduate level for academic redemption (i.e., repeating a course to replace a prior

grade with a new grade). When a course is repeated, the new grade will be added to — not substituted for — the

original class grade. The exception to this is academic renewal.

Academic renewal

A student who was dismissed from the Graduate School for failure to maintain an adequate academic status or sat-

isfactory progress, and who has not enrolled for a period of one or more academic years, may apply for readmission

under special conditions known as academic renewal. Under these conditions, all previous graduate credits and

course grades will be ignored for purposes of evaluating new GPA and academic status or satisfactory progress.

However, these courses cannot be counted toward the new degree program. The previous record will remain on

the transcript as well as the notation “readmission under the policy of academic renewal.” Academic renewal may

occur only once. To apply to be readmitted under the requirements of academic renewal, contact the coordinator

of the program of interest and the director of graduate admissions to discuss the policy and procedures associated

with this status. Submit form GS Request for Academic Renewal along with a new application for admission.

Approval of consideration for readmission under academic renewal will be determined by the department.

2.8. Academic Grievances

Academic Grievance Policy

It is the policy of the Graduate School to address all grievances of an academic nature led by enrolled graduate

students. Graduate student grievances are heard by the Graduate Academic Grievance Committee.

Grievances must be led with the Graduate School within 60 days of the alleged act and may involve the

following:

1. violations of program, department, college, or Graduate School policies related to nal grades in courses

or research (8910 or 9910);

2. violations of program, department, college, or Graduate School policies and procedures related

to the completion of any academic requirement including theses and dissertations, oral or written

comprehensive examinations; and

3. graduate student assistantship employment including allegations that oers of assistantship appointments

made during recruiting were not honored aer enrollment.

The Graduate Academic Grievance Committee will not hear allegations of discrimination based on age, color,

disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran’s status. All such allegations or com-

plaints should be submitted to the Oce of Access and Equity. The Graduate School will promptly refer any

such complaints received to the Oce of Access and Equity.

The Graduate School will support a timely process to hear and respond to grievances, and will handle all doc-

uments in such a way to protect the condentiality of the information. Members of any committee and parties to

any hearing are expected to keep all information related to a grievance condential.

Committee structure

The Graduate Academic Grievance Committee (GAGC) is a committee of faculty and student represen-

tatives. Faculty are selected by their colleges and serve two-year staggered terms. Student representatives are

selected by the Graduate Student Government through an application and interview process in the spring

semester, and are approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. Students serve one-year terms. The Associate

Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (or Dean’s designee) serves as nonvoting chair. No member of the

Graduate Academic Grievance Committee may simultaneously be a member of the Undergraduate Academic

Grievance Committee, nor may they be members of the undergraduate or graduate academic integrity com-

mittees. The selection of faculty and student membership on the Graduate Academic Grievance Committee

will occur in April of each year as needed.

The Initial Grievance Review Board (IGRB) is a subcommittee of the GAGC, responsible for deter-

mining which grievances will go forward to the Grievance Hearing Panel. The membership of the IGRB is

selected from the larger membership of the GACG, and should comprised one faculty representative from

each college. One graduate student representative also serves on the IGRB. The IGRB selects a faculty mem-

ber to serve as its chair. The IGRB will serve for an entire academic year. A majority of the voting members

must endorse a grievance to move forward to the hearing panel.

12. Academic Grievance Policy implemented Fall 2010. Updated Spring 2017.

The Grievance Hearing Panel (GHP) is a ve-person subcommittee of the GAGC, composed of three

faculty and two graduate students, appointed by the chair of the GAGC as cases are received from the IGRB.

The GHP is responsible for hearing student grievances forwarded to it by the IGRB, proposing resolutions

and, in the case of appeal, preparing the le and forwarding recommendations to the Dean of the Graduate

School. A chair of each GHP will be selected from the faculty members of the panel. Members of the hearing

panel should not be members of the college of the student ling the grievance.

Procedures and rules governing academic grievances

Procedures for students filing a complaint

At any time prior to ling a grievance, you may consult with the University Ombudsman charged with

mediation in cases involving graduate students.

Step 1. Any student wishing to le a complaint must rst make every attempt to resolve it within the

college. You must rst take the complaint to the faculty or sta member(s) involved. If no resolution can

be reached, you should request assistance from the department chair and the Dean of the college. The

University Ombuds Oce may be a resource for you during this time.

Step 2. If the grievance remains unresolved, you may le the complaint with the Graduate School. You

must rst meet with the Associate Dean of the Graduate School charged with oversight of the Graduate

Academic Grievance Committee. The Associate Dean will describe the grievance process to you. If you

wish to proceed with the grievance, the Associate Dean will provide you with Graduate School form

GS-g-A Filing of Grievance, which will enable you to provide a written statement detailing the grievance

and your attempts to resolve it at the college level by documenting (a) the dates of consultations at the

college level, (b) the names of the people consulted, and (c) the signature of the collegiate dean attesting

that no resolution could be reached. You must return the fully executed form GS-g-A to the Graduate

School within 30 days of your initial meeting with the Associate Dean. If you fail to le the grievance

within this timeframe, you forfeit your opportunity to proceed unless you can show clear evidence that

it was impossible to comply with this deadline. Questions concerning possible impacts on your graduate

status should you not be successful in the grievance may be discussed at this time with the Associate Dean

of the Graduate School.

You may seek external counsel (an advisor, an attorney, etc.) to assist with preparation of materials to

submit to the Academic Grievance Committee. You may also request such individual accompany you to

the hearing, but this advisor may not actively participate in the hearing.

Step 3. You and the Associate Dean of the Graduate School will le the grievance with the Initial

Grievance Review Board.

Procedures for the Initial Grievance Review Board (IGRB)

1. An associate or assistant dean (dierent from the associate or assistant dean above providing

assistance to the student ling the grievance) from the Graduate School will serve in a non-

voting advisory role to the Graduate Academic Grievance Committee and IGRB, if needed.

2. The chair of the Initial Grievance Review Board (IGRB) will be provided a copy of the

grievance (form GS-g-A), at which time the chair will convene the IGRB (either in person or

asynchronously) to review the grievance. The Graduate School will retain the original copy of

form GS-g-A.

3. The IGRB will determine, by majority vote, if the complaint constitutes a grievance as dened

by the grievance policy above, rendering it either nongrievable or grievable.

■ Nongrievable. If the IGRB nds the complaint to be nongrievable, or that the grievant

has not followed policies, procedures, and timelines outlined in the Graduate School Policies

& Procedures Handbook, the IGRB will execute its portion of form GS-g-A, explaining the

reasoning for its determination, and return the case to the Associate Dean with oversight of

academic grievances. The Associate Dean will notify the student of the IGRB’s decision. The

student may appeal this determination to the Dean of the Graduate School within ten days

by requesting a review of the complaint. The student’s request to the Dean must provide a

convincing rationale for the appeal based on factual evidence that policies were not followed

or were misinterpreted. Disagreement with the decision is not a basis for an appeal to the

Dean. This appeal must be in writing and will be attached to form GS-g-A. The Dean of

the Graduate School may elect to uphold the IGRB’s decision or forward the case to the

Academic Grievance Committee for a hearing. If the Dean of the Graduate School upholds

the decision of the IGRB — that the case is nongrievable — the Graduate School will notify

the student and the University will take no further action. The Dean will respond with an

appeal decision, which is not subject to further appeal or due process. The Associate Dean

of the Graduate School will notify all parties involved in the case, including the chair of the

Graduate Academic Grievance Committee, the student, and all department faculty and sta

reported on form GS-g-A, of the decisions of the IGRB and results of any appeal.

■ Grievable. If the IGRB nds the complaint to be grievable, and that the grievant has

complied with all relevant policies, procedures, and timelines contained within the Graduate

School Policies & Procedures Handbook, the IGRB will forward the case through the Associate

Dean of the Graduate School to the chair of the Graduate Academic Grievance Committee,

who in turn will appoint the Grievance Hearing Panel to hear the case.

Procedures for the Grievance Hearing Panel (GHP)

1. In the case that the IGRB recommends that the grievance be heard, and that it meets all

requirements for a grievance, the chair of the GAGC will appoint a Grievance Hearing Panel

of ve individuals (three faculty and two graduate students not from the same college as the

student ling the grievance and also not from the same college as the faculty member against

which the grievance was led) to hear the case. The GHP will select a faculty member to serve

as chair and notify the Associate Dean of the Graduate School.

2. A copy of the recommendation of the IGRB and all supporting documents related to the case

will be provided to the Hearing Panel chosen to hear the case.

3. Prior to convening the hearing, the chair of the Hearing Panel will contact the student who has

led the grievance as well as the faculty member against whom the grievance has been led.

The chair of the Hearing Panel will provide copies of the grievance to both parties, answer

procedural questions that the parties have concerning the hearing, and also ask each party if they

have submitted all written documentation to the committee. If additional written materials are

received prior to the hearing, the chair of the Hearing Panel will distribute copies to all Hearing

Panel members and to all parties to the grievance.

4. The hearing will be informal and will be closed. The chair will take whatever action is necessary

to ensure appropriate due process and an equitable, orderly, and expeditious hearing. All parties

to the grievance will be given an opportunity to be heard. In addition, the chair may request

the presence of any other person who can supply information pertinent to the grievance. If any

witness is unable to be present at the hearing, the chair may, at their discretion, accept a written

statement from that witness to be presented at the hearing. Witnesses will be present in the

hearing room only when they are called to speak before the Hearing Panel. All parties will be

permitted to question all individuals who present information, including each other. All parties

may bring one advisor of their choice to the hearing to provide counsel; however, advisors

will not be permitted to participate in the proceedings in any way except to communicate

condentially with the individual they are present to advise. They may not ask questions,

speak, provide any written information, or in any other way communicate with panel members

or individuals present to speak on the topic, and may not in any way interrupt or inuence

the proceedings. The chair is directed to immediately remove any advisors who violate this

restriction in any way. Removal of an advisor from the proceedings will not be considered as

grounds for appeal. No other person may be present for the hearing.

5. Upon conclusion of the hearing, the Hearing Panel will by majority vote reach a recommended

resolution to the grievance. The Hearing Panel chair, in consultation with the Associate Dean

of the Graduate School, will then formulate the ndings in writing. The written ndings and

recommended resolution will be forwarded via ocial University email to all designated parties.

Each party will be asked to indicate acceptance of the recommended resolution by replying to

the ndings/resolution email within 14 days of its original send date. Failure to respond within

14 working days will constitute acceptance.

6. If all parties to the grievance accept the resolution recommended by the Hearing Panel, the

matter of the grievance will be considered closed. The Associate Dean of the Graduate School

will notify all involved individuals that the case is resolved. The Associate Dean of the Graduate

School will ensure that the resolution is eected and will notify other appropriate University

ocials as necessary.

7. If either party rejects the recommended resolution to the case, all materials will be referred to

the Dean of the Graduate School. When grievances are referred in this manner, this constitutes

an appeal of the decision. The Dean of the Graduate School will make the nal decision within

ve working days of receipt of the appeal. This decision is nal and not subject to further

appeal. The Associate Dean of the Graduate School will notify all parties included on form

GS-g-A of the decision of the Dean and will ensure that the resolution, including notication to

the University Registrar if needed, is communicated promptly.

8. Should a grievance be led against the Dean of the Graduate School in the Dean’s capacity as a

member of the faculty, the substitution of the Vice President of Academic Aairs and Provost of

the University (or Provost’s designee) must be made for a student wishing to appeal the nding

of the Hearing Panel.

9. At the conclusion of the hearing, all printed materials provided to individual members of the

Academic Grievance Committee will be collected by the Graduate School.

10. To the extent permitted by law, all records and discussions relevant to the grievance will be held

in condence; however, information will be available to succeeding members of the Academic

Grievance Committee. The Graduate School will retain one complete le of each grievance in

a locked le for the required length of time in accordance with state guidelines on retention of

academic materials.

11. These policies and procedures can be changed by recommendation from the membership of

the Academic Grievance Committee with approval of the Graduate Advisory Committee, the

Graduate Council, and the Provost’s Academic Council. Such changes will not aect any case

under consideration at the time of the change.

University Ombuds oce

The ombudsman is an independent, condential resource who provides assistance to faculty, graduate students,

and postdoctoral students in resolving problems, complaints, and conicts when normal procedures have not

worked satisfactorily. The Ombudsman’s oce serves as a central information source on policies, procedures, and

regulations aecting faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral students. The oce refers individuals to people

and oces able to resolve problems or handle appeals at the lowest possible level. Where appropriate, the ombuds-

man can facilitate communication or mediate between parties.

The ombudsman strives to ensure that faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral students receive fair and

equitable treatment within the University system. They provide an independent point of view in an informal and

condential environment. The ombudsman will not identify you or discuss your personal concerns with anyone

without your permission. Private condential meetings can be arranged at your convenience. All communications

will be treated with strict condentiality, to the extent permitted by law.

The ombudsman works toward resolutions based on principles of fairness. They are neither an advocate for

faculty, administration, or students, nor an agent of the University.

The Oce of the Ombudsman is available to assist faculty members, graduate students, and postdoctoral

students who

■ need guidance in resolving a problem or a concern relating to the University;

■ need information about policies or procedures;

■ need someone to mediate between individuals or within the University;

■ feel the University has made an error in a particular case;

■ feel they have been victims of harassment or discrimination;

■ are unsure about which University policies, procedures, or regulations apply to a given situation;

■ have specic academic problems that cannot be resolved by following regular University procedures;

■ feel they have been unfairly treated;

■ have a problem that requires someone to negotiate a solution or to help facilitate communication

between parties; and/or

■ feel that a University policy, procedure, or regulation has been applied unfairly or erroneously.

Additional information about the ombudsman’s standards, practices, and condentiality, plus oce location and

contact information, are available at the University Ombudsman web page.

2.9. Violation of Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity

Graduate policy and procedures

Violations of the principles outlined in the graduate philosophy on academic integrity will be pursued to the

fullest extent according to the procedures outlined below. Violations of academic integrity include violations

13. Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures implemented in 2010.

in coursework, research,

independent projects, practica, internships, comprehensive and qualifying exams,

theses and dissertations and other publications

or works submitted as requirements for receipt of a degree.

Non-degree seeking students may also be charged with violations of academic integrity.

This policy broadly denes and provides examples of violations of academic integrity, categorizes the

seriousness of violations into four levels,

and establishes guidelines for discerning appropriate sanctions for

each. As there is no way to identify within this policy all of the possible violations of academic integrity, the

policy and ensuing procedures are intended as a general guide for faculty in all colleges to enable consistent,

reasonable, and fair judgments of graduate student actions incongruous with the fundamental values and

general philosophy described above.

The authority to resolve cases of violations of academic integrity by enrolled graduate students is vested in

the Graduate Academic Integrity Committee.

A. Definitions, explanations and examples of violations of academic integrity

Violations of academic integrity may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Cheating. Cheating involves giving, receiving, or using unauthorized aid on any academic work sub-

mitted for grading including but not limited to coursework, laboratory assignments, research projects,

comprehensive and qualifying examinations, theses and dissertations, or using digital logins and account

numbers that belong to another person without the permission of the account owner. Unauthorized aid

includes collaborating with classmates or others when explicitly prohibited, using online paper mills or

paying individuals to prepare research papers, reports or projects, submitting identical work to satisfy the

requirements of more than one class without the approval of the faculty, or using textbooks, notes, the

internet, and other sources when instructed to work alone.

Fabricating/falsifying information.

Fabricating or falsifying information involves actions such as mak-

ing up data that were not collected, stating that studies were conducted that were not, indicating that

original source material was read when information was obtained from secondary or tertiary sources,

making up references not used, or identifying sources that were not consulted (e.g., telephone interviews).

Facilitating violations of academic integrity.

Facilitating violations of academic integrity involves a

student intentionally helping another violate the principles of academic integrity (for example, allowing

friends access to their work, or instructing students on ways to solicit aid on papers, projects, take home

exams, tests for state and national licenses, etc.).

Failing to cite contributors.

Failing to cite an author or multiple authors involves not giving credit to

individuals who have contributed signicantly to a work (paper, research project, poster, etc.) and claim-

ing the nal product as one’s own.

Plagiarizing.

Plagiarizing is the of the work accomplished by someone else. It includes copying and

pasting words, phrases, sentence structure, computer code or les, images, or ideas from any source,

including the internet, and attributing the work to one’s own eorts. Blatant examples of plagiarism

include failure to use quotation marks, failure to indent quoted text of more than three lines, and failure

14. Depending on the research infraction, the University’s Research Division Policies may in some cases take precedence over the Academic

Integrity Policy.

15. Depending on the research infraction, the University’s Research Division Policies may in some cases take precedence over the Academic

Integrity Policy.

16. Levels based on the academic integrity model of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ; used by permission. Rutgers’ document accessed at

https://slwordpress.rutgers.edu/academicintegrity/wp-content/uploads/sites////AI_Policy_.pdf

17. Based on the academic integrity model of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ; used by permission. Rutgers’ document accessed at https://

slwordpress.rutgers.edu/academicintegrity/wp-content/uploads/sites////AI_Policy_.pdf

to cite consulted sources either in footnotes, endnotes or within the body text of a document. More subtle

examples of plagiarism include paraphrasing or using others’ conceptual frameworks for developing cre-

ative works without acknowledgment or permission or citing a source within the text, but then directly

quoting the materials without the use of quotation marks or text indentation.

Thwarting others’ progress.

Thwarting others’ progress involves editing, deleting or otherwise destroy-

ing electronic les that belong to another person or intentionally stealing or destroying property which

prevents others from using it to gain needed information to complete assignments; for example, library

materials on reserve, materials on loan by a faculty member, or reports and documents made available for

student use by external companies, state and federal agencies, etc.

B. Levels of seriousness of violations of academic integrity and sample

recommended sanctions

At the graduate level, it is expected that students exhibit sophistication in understanding the tenets of aca-

demic integrity. Even so, it is clear that some types of violations are more serious in nature than others and

that some types of violations require deliberate, calculated actions on the part of the student. This policy

categorizes academic integrity violations into four levels. To provide guidance on the administration of

sanctions, examples of violations of academic integrity are delineated below by the level of seriousness.

This list is by no means exhaustive but is reective of the types of violations that have been observed

at Clemson University. Guidance may be sought from the Graduate Academic Integrity Committee to

determine the appropriate level of seriousness in unusual or highly complex instances.

Level One violations of academic integrity and sample recommended sanctions

Includes instances where it is determined that a rst-year graduate student is essentially unaware of the

principles of academic integrity at Clemson, where a student has misunderstood instructions from a

professor and has committed an infraction impacting a minor portion of assigned work, or has com-

mitted an infraction on an assignment of minor signicance to the nal grade. Level One violations are

addressed by the professor. Examples of Level One violations include the following:

1. failure to follow instructions to work independently;

2. plagiarism aecting very minor portions of an assignment or project;

3. rst-time oenses by students unfamiliar with the academic integrity expectations at Clemson.

Sample recommended sanctions for Level One violations include one or more of the following:

1. failure on the assignment;

2. requirement to make appropriate corrections and resubmit the assignment for grading;

3. verbal or written reprimand;

4. assignment to attend a seminar on academic integrity and to write a paper on knowledge gained

to be submitted for credit or no credit, at the professor’s discretion.

18. Based on the academic integrity model of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ; used by permission. Rutgers’ document available at https://

slwordpress.rutgers.edu/academicintegrity/wp-content/uploads/sites////AI_Policy_.pdf

Level Two violations of academic integrity and sample recommended sanctions

Includes instances that impact a moderate portion of an assignment, course, project, laboratory, or

research activity. Level Two violations are addressed by the faculty member, the graduate program

coordinator, and the department chair. Examples of Level Two violations include the following:

1. failing to acknowledge sources by use of quotation marks, footnotes, endnotes or indentations

of lengthy direct quotes;

2. using unauthorized aid (notes, books and other references, other students’ work, websites, etc.)

in violation of explicit instructions to complete in-class or take-home exams;

3. failing to acknowledge sources of materials paraphrased;

4. failing to acknowledge sources of assistance or other contributors in preparation of assignments,

papers, posters, or projects, etc.;

5. using the conceptual frameworks of others in developing creative works without

acknowledgment or permission.

Sample recommended sanctions for Level Two violations include one or more of the following:

1. failure on the assignment with no opportunity to amend;

2. assignment of a similar task with a higher level of diculty and more stringent grading;

3. receipt of zero on the assignment.

Level Three violations of academic integrity and sample recommended sanctions

Includes instances where it is determined that a student agrantly and intentionally has violated the

principles of academic integrity in a signicant portion of an assignment, course, or research activity.

Level Three violations are heard by the Graduate Academic Integrity Committee. Examples of Level

Three violations include the following:

1. knowingly plagiarizing major sections of papers submitted for grading;

2. knowingly plagiarizing major sections of the thesis or dissertation prior to submission for

publication;

3. purchasing papers or reports and submitting them for grading;

4. thwarting others’ progress by destroying computer les, laboratory resources, or library

materials;

5. devising means with classmates to cheat on exams of any sort (qualifying, preliminary, state

exams for licensing, etc.).

Sample recommended sanctions for Level Three violations include one or more of the following:

1. receipt of a grade of F in the course;

2. suspension from the University for one or more semesters;

3. termination of the student’s graduate assistantship and/or University fellowship;

4. notation in the Graduate School of the violation of academic integrity and the sanction.

Level Four violations of academic integrity and sample recommended sanctions

Includes instances where it is determined that a student has intentionally committed violations of

the principles of academic integrity serious enough to constitute academic aud, actions which have

the impact of bringing the reputation of the institution itself into question. Level Four violations are

heard by the Graduate Academic Integrity Committee and may involve interaction with the Faculty

Senate and the Vice President for Research if sponsored research is involved.

1. fabricating data in research projects, papers, and reports;

2. creating false sources for references which do not, in fact, exist;

3. plagiarizing in materials to be submitted for publication, including nal submission of theses

and dissertations and journal articles;

4. falsifying transcript records, altering any supporting documents submitted to the University

with the application for admission;

5. paying an individual or company to produce a thesis or dissertation;

6. forging a faculty or sta member’s signature on any document.

Sample recommended sanctions for Level Four violations include one or more of the following:

1. mandated permanent dismissal from the University with no possibility of academic renewal;

2. notation in the Graduate School of the violation of academic integrity and the sanction;

3. notation of the dismissal on the student’s permanent academic record (transcript).

Note: Repeated violations of the policy of academic integrity, irrespective of the level, should result in

serious sanctions, up to and including permanent dismissal.

C. Structure of the Graduate Academic Integrity Committee

Faculty. Three tenured faculty members from each of the seven academic colleges and the Library,

elected by the faculty accorded voting rights in each college and the Library, serve staggered three-year

terms on the Graduate Academic Integrity Committee. Members of the Graduate Academic Integrity

Committee must not simultaneously be members of the Undergraduate Academic Integrity Committee,

nor of the grievance committees of either the graduate or undergraduate programs. Faculty representa-

tives are selected by college rules at the end of the spring semester to serve two-year staggered terms that

begin in the fall.

Students. Seven graduate students — one from each college — are selected and approved by the Grad-

uate Student Government (GSG). These students are then recommended for one-year appointments to

the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School. Graduate student committee members must

maintain good standing within the University for the entire duration of the appointment and must have

completed nine credit hours at the graduate level prior to being selected by GSG.

Chair. The Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (or Dean’s designee) serves as chair and

is a non-voting member.

Hearing Panel. Cases will be heard by a panel of ve committee members comprising two graduate

students and three faculty members from dierent departments. Decisions of the hearing panel require a

majority vote.

Meetings and Hearings. The committee convenes throughout the calendar year, including summers,

when there is a case to be heard. The Graduate Academic Integrity Committee will meet to review and

revise its procedures, if necessary, prior to the last day of classes of every spring semester. Revised proce-

dures will go into eect on the rst day of the subsequent fall semester.

Recusal. To avoid possible conict of interest, faculty and graduate student representatives should

recuse themselves from cases involving colleagues or peers in their colleges.

D. Notification of a violation of academic integrity

1. When, in the opinion of a faculty member, there is evidence that a student has committed a

violation of academic integrity, the faculty member will fully document the charge in writing in

a statement delivered in a sealed envelope to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School. At the

same time, at their discretion, the alleging faculty member is encouraged, but is not required, to

privately inform the student charged of the nature of the allegation.

2. When, in the opinion of a student or sta member, there is evidence that a student has

committed a violation of academic integrity, he or she should contact the faculty member for

the course (including the research advisor or internship/practicum/co-op supervisor) to discuss

the incident. Aer being contacted, if, in the opinion of the faculty member, there is evidence

that the student has committed a violation of academic integrity, the faculty member will deliver

a formal written charge in a sealed envelope to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School.

At the same time, at their discretion, the alleging faculty member is encouraged, but is not

required, to privately inform the student charged of the nature of the allegation.

3. When, in the opinion of anyone outside the University, there is evidence that a student has

committed a violation of academic integrity, that person should bring this allegation to the

attention of the Associate Dean of the Graduate School. The Associate Dean will contact

the appropriate faculty representative of the student’s program (consistent with the alleged

violation). The faculty member will determine if charges are to be brought against the student.

If the faculty member determines that there is sucient evidence to le a charge, the faculty

member will fully document the charge in writing in a statement delivered in a sealed envelope

to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School. At the same time, at their discretion, the alleging

faculty member is encouraged, but is not required, to privately inform the student charged of

the nature of the allegation.

4. Within ten working days from the date the Associate Dean of the Graduate School has received

a formal charge of an alleged violation, they will provide the student with a copy of the charge

and the policy and procedures of the Graduate Academic Integrity Committee.

5. The Graduate School will notify the Academic Integrity Committee that a case has been

received and will indicate whether or not this violation constitutes a rst oense (veried by

documentation of previous violations sanctioned at Level Two or above as noted on the record

retained in the Graduate School).

6. The Graduate School will identify a panel to hear the case depending on the availability of

committee members and the faculty member bringing the charge.

E. Procedures if the student chooses to waive their right to a hearing

1. The student must meet with the Associate Dean of the Graduate School to request to waive

their right to a hearing. This usually happens when the student is informed of the charges.

2. If the student wants to waive their right to a hearing, the Associate Dean will allow the student

to execute form GS-ai-A Request to Waive Academic Integrity Hearing, and will inform the

student of the classication/level of the oense (Level Two to Level Four). A student may not

request a hearing for a Level One violation.

3. A student who requests to waive their right to a hearing will have no right to appeal the sanction

imposed, unless the sanction includes suspension or permanent dismissal from Clemson

University.

4. The Graduate School will notify the professor of the decision of the student to waive their right

to a hearing.

Application of sanctions in cases without a hearing

When the student has waived their right to a hearing, sanctions may be imposed by the faculty mem-

ber if Level One; by the faculty member and department if Level Two; or by the Academic Integrity

Committee hearing panel if Level Three or Four.

1. In cases of Level One violations, the professor should meet with the student and inform him or

her of the sanction. The professor should provide an email notication to the Associate Dean

of the Graduate School including the date of the meeting with the student and the sanction

imposed. Level One violations will not become a part of the student’s permanent academic

record at the University but will be recorded for data purposes only in the Graduate School.

In keeping with the commitment to encourage students’ understanding and embracing the

tenets of academic integrity, Level One violations will be used as a warning and as a teaching

opportunity.

2. In cases of Level Two violations, the professor and department chair should meet with

the student and inform him or her of the sanction. The professor should provide an email

notication to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School including the date of the meeting

with the student and the sanction imposed. Level Two violations will not become a part of the

student’s permanent academic record at the University but will be recorded in the Graduate

School and considered as the student’s rst oense of violation of the policies of academic

integrity.

3. In cases of Le

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