Graduate Academic Policies and Regulations

Academic Advisement
Students accepted into a graduate program are assigned a faculty advisor by their Chairperson or Program Director. The students should consult with the advisor in selection of courses, thesis option, degree requirements, and related matters

Admission to Candidacy
Application for admission to candidacy is to be made immediately after the student is admitted to a specific program, completes all prerequisites for the designated graduate program, and completes at least nine (9) hours of graduate course work with at least a "B" average. No student will be allowed to register for a course after completion of fifteen (15) fifteen hours at Delaware State University unless he/she has been admitted to candidacy.

Applications for admission to candidacy must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research and the appropriate Chairperson and/or Program Director/Coordinator. Applications for Admission to Candidacy Forms must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research in duplicate, with the appropriate signatures no later than two semesters prior to graduation. It is the primary responsibility of the students to become familiar with the policies and procedures governing admission to candidacy.

Degree Requirements and Application for Graduation
In order to earn the master's degree, graduate students must satisfy all of the institutional requirements as well as the specified requirements of the program in which they are enrolled. Students who expect to graduate must file an Application for Graduation with the Office of Graduate Studies by January 15 of the year in which the degree is to be conferred.
The student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) for all work taken on the graduate level.

Participation in Graduation Exercises
Students may participate in the annual graduation exercises in May only if they satisfy the following conditions:

1. File the application for graduation by January 15;
2. Enroll in all courses required to complete degree requirements;
3. Remain enrolled in those courses required to graduate; and
4. Satisfy all financial obligations to the University.

Submitting an Appeal
Appeals concerning denial of admission to a graduate program, dismissal from a graduate program, changing final course grade and instruction should be submitted as follows:

1. Students should file, in writing, the complaint or appeal to the appropriate Chairperson or Program Director for resolution. The Chairperson or Program Director shall reply to the students within 10 working days;
2. if the disposition is not favorable students may appeal to the Graduate Council through the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research;
3. the appeal will be presented to the Graduate Council at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Graduate Council. The decision of the Graduate Council shall be transmitted to the students, in writing, within 10 working days of the decision;
4. in cases where the problems remain resolved, students have the right to appeal in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs within 5 working days from receipt of the decision of the Graduate Council.

Thesis
Students who elects or are required to complete a thesis should have a Thesis Committee approved by his/her Academic Advisor, Chairperson and/ or Program Director, and the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. The Thesis Committee shall consist of four (4) members, at the rank of Assistant Professor or above, one of whom shall be the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research or a member designated by that office.
Students electing the thesis option should select a topic in consultation with the Advisor and the appropriate Chairperson or Program Director. The style manual to be used in writing the thesis will be designated by the respective department. Students must file for and receive approval of the Thesis Committee during the semester prior to beginning work on the thesis. The application for approval of the Thesis Committee is available in the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, and should be completed and submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies in triplicate with original signatures. (Students who need more than one semester to complete the thesis will receive the symbol Q (Thesis incomplete) on their record until the thesis is satisfactorily completed.) Students who have previously registered for thesis may choose not to register for, or work on the thesis during any subsequent semester. The students electing this option must pay a sustaining Fee of $20.00 for each semester they do not register for thesis. The semesters not registered for will count toward the time limit allotted to complete the degree. Students electing the thesis option must satisfactorily defend the thesis in an oral examination by the committee. The oral examination should be scheduled at least three (3) weeks in advance and may also cover related course material. The thesis defense must be taken during the last semester. All members of the committee shall be given a copy of the final draft of the thesis at least one week (7 days) prior to the examination.

Students who elected the thesis option must have the thesis completed and approved four (4) weeks prior to the end of the term in which he/she expects to graduate. For further information relative to the thesis, a copy of the Thesis Handbook may be requested from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

The thesis and all related procedures are to be completed by April 15 for those planning to graduate at the conclusion of the Spring Semester.

The finished thesis, which includes changes resulting from the oral examination along with an approval sheet available from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, shall be distributed by the student in the following manner:

1. one bound original to the Chairperson and/or Program Director
2. one bound copy to the University Library
3. one bound copy to the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research
4. one copy to each committee member (binding not required)
5. one copy to the student (binding not required)

Change of Program
If admitted student wishes to change to a different program offered at DSU, a request must be made by the student, in writing, to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research. Upon receipt of the request, the student's file will be forwarded to the Chairperson of the desired program for review. If both the faculty of the desired program and the Dean of the Graduate School approve, the formal transfer of program is made in the Graduate School Office with notification to the former program chairperson, new program chairperson, the student, and the Registrar. The time limit for completion of the degree runs from the date of matriculation in the new program, with credit brought in subject to the appropriate transfer limitation.

Time Limitation
A maximum of seven years is permitted to complete the degree requirements. The Social Work Program allows only four years.
Advanced Standing, Master of Social Work Degree Program Students who have graduated from a Bachelor of Social Work Degree Program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may be admitted to advanced standing. In the Master of Social Work Program a maximum of fifteen (15) credits may be granted. The faculty of the Master of Social Work Program will determine which course(s) the student may waive. This determination will be made on an individual basis. Only courses in which grades of B or above have been earned within the last six (6) years will be considered.

Summer and Winter Sessions
Some disciplines within the graduate school offer graduate courses during the summer and winter sessions for students who wish to accelerate their degree programs. Students presently enrolled at another college or university while attending summer or winter session at Delaware State University must present proof of enrollment from the other institution where they attend regularly.

Cellular Telephone and Pagers in the Classroom
The use of cellular telephones and pagers is expressly prohibited in academic classrooms and laboratories. All such telephone and pagers, which make noise, must be kept in the off position while attending classes. Students in non-compliance may be asked to leave the classroom. Exceptions to this policy may be approved only by the course instructor.

Notification of FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records: They are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, or assisting another school official performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the University discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Delaware State University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

   Family Policy Compliance Office
   U. S. Department of Education
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

Directory Information
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act permits the release of directory-type information to third parties outside the institution without written consent of the student provided the student has been given the opportunity to withhold such disclosure.

The University releases, upon inquiry to third parties outside the University directory information without written consent of the student. Directory information at Delaware State University includes:

Name
Address (including e-mail address)
Telephone number
College/schoolClassification
Major field of study
Dates of attendance
Enrollment status
Honors
Degree(s) conferred (including dates)

Students who do not wish to have the above information released should fill out an information exclusion card at the Records Office.