Academic Policies

Academic Credit

Acceptance of Degrees and Transfer Credits

Because of the modular format of the MA degree, transfer credit is only applicable, where appropriate, to the PhD program.
The University reserves the right to determine the acceptability and relevance of degrees and credits earned at other institutions. Work applied toward any other degree may not be applied toward WCIU graduate degrees.
Transfer credits accepted from other institutions are assigned grade points according to WCIU’s grading system, as far as possible, when determining the cumulative grade point average (GPA) for graduation. Transfer credit is granted for appropriate courses having a passing grade: Credit or Pass; B- or higher for graduate students.
By State regulation, a maximum of 6 semester units of transfer credit is allowed for the M.A. degree, and a maximum of 30 units for the Ph.D. degree. These 30 units typically are for master’s work taken at another institution.
The module format of he M.A. discourages the use of transfer credit unless one or modules of WCIU’s degree program is completed through another university prior to transferring to WCIU. In this instance, a minimum of 26 units must be completed through WCIU.
For the Ph.D. at least 45 units must be taken for WCIU credit, except that students who completed their M.A. degrees through WCIU may be allowed to transfer up to 15 units of their doctoral studies from other institutions, provided that their doctoral committee and the Ph.D. Program Committee approve pattern of course work in their Doctoral Learning Contract.

Concurrent Enrollment

Within the transfer guidelines above, studies relevant to the student’s program may be taken for credit through institutions recognized by WCIU —either on the institution’s campus or at a distance—upon approval of the student’s program advisor or mentor. Such studies are considered concurrent enrollment if taken during a term when the student is also registered for courses or is in a WCIU degree program.

Transfer credit for these approved studies taken through other WCIU recognized institutions requires that an official transcript (academic record) be sent to the WCIU Registrar upon completion of the work.

Registration

Registration for Courses

Admission to the University and academic advisement are required prior to registration for courses.
Students may register for field-based studies through WCIU the first day of any month. Also see the catalog section on Individualized Studies.
Students must complete an Enrollment Agreement form, either for half modules 1A - 3B or Module 4 (MA) or individualized study (PhD). If registering for an individualized study course (directed readings, field research, etc.), students must also request a form for approval of the course. Both the Course Outline for Individualized Studies form and the Enrollment Agreement must be completed.
When registering for the doctoral qualifying examination, the doctoral dissertation, or the master’s research paper, thesis, or project, students should request the appropriate form from the Registrar’s Office or obtain it on-line.

Changes and Withdrawals

All courses may be dropped, or the registration changed from credit to audit, through the first 60% of the course. Withdrawal after that time will result in a No Credit (NC) or Failure (F) grade being entered on the student’s transcript.
To withdraw officially a student must file a Withdrawal form available from the Registrar’s Office or on-line.
On rare occasions, approval of a late withdrawal for medical or other emergencies may be granted, in which case a W will be entered on the transcript.
If international mail delivery causes excessive delays in communication, a longer period to request a change may be permitted pending approval of a petition.
Students needing to discontinue studies at WCIU should complete the Withdrawal form available on-line or from the Registrar’s Office . Students are required to pay all tuition and fees due even if they drop courses or withdraw prior to full payment. The amount due is determined by the drop or withdrawal date and is based on the Tuition Refund Schedule. Details are found on the Enrollment Agreement form and current Schedule of Fees.

Extentions and Incomplete Studies

Half modules in the M.A. program typically have a Completion Date of 6 months after the Starting Date. If needed, and if adequate progress has been made, an Extension Request form for an additional 6 months may be obtained on-line or from the Registrar’s Office. Students enrolled in individual courses are not eligible for this extension.

Students who, due to circumstances beyond their control, are unable to finish all requirements by the Completion Date specified on their Enrollment Agreement (for courses) or the Extension Date (for modules) may petition to receive an Incomplete (I) grade. Incomplete grade request forms are available on-line or from the Registrar’s Office.

If the request is approved, time may be granted as follows to complete the requirements:

For half modules, 6 more months will be granted complete the requirements.
For individual courses, the time allowed is determined by the instructor but may not exceed 1 year.

A $25 fee is charged for each Incomplete at the time the Incomplete is requested.

Extensions and Incomplete studies must be finished by the Completion Date specified in the petition or form.

If the course work is not completed on time, a grade of No Credit (NC) is recorded which is calculated the same as an F in the grade point average.

Progress Reports

All Ph.D. candidates must submit a Six-Month Progress Report from, available from the Ph.D. Program Office, twice a year, whether or not they are taking WCIU courses during that period, unless on an approved Leave of Absence. The Report notifies the University of progress made during the previous months and of work to be undertaken in the following six months. If these Reports are not received for two consecutive six-month periods, the student will be considered withdrawn from the degree program. Exceptional arrangements may be made for remote areas where mail delivery is delayed excessively.

Courses

Formats

WCIU courses are taught in several different formats. All of these forms of group and individualized learning are generally referred to as courses and are assigned course numbers and semester units that will appear on the student’s academic record (transcript).
University studies include standard field-based modules for the integrated curricula at the M.A. level, and a range of individualized study formats, such as directed study (readings, tutorials, papers, etc.), field research, internship, practicum, and other forms of tailor-made study. Attendance at or participation in an appropriate conference, colloquium, workshop, or symposium may be a component of certain courses. Studies are taken wherever the student is working, whether the courses are in the form of standardized integrated modules of 8 units in the M.A. program or individualized studies (directed readings, field studies) in the Ph.D. program.
Correspondence courses are not offered at WCIU.
Off-campus studies are taken under a qualified instructor in the case of individualized studies, or in the case of standard modules, under the guidance of a local mentor, with exams and term papers graded by faculty on the WCIU campus.
Mentors of students taking standard modules normally are expected to meet with their students on a weekly or bi-weekly basis; hence, they typically must work or live in the vicinity of the student. Where several students live in proximity and share a common mentor, they may decide to study together at other times as well. A method of interaction between students by e-mail is being planned, so that those studying in isolation from others may share ideas with fellow students.
Mentors assess the daily and weekly work of their students. Where appropriate, items for grading are sent to WCIU, where graders are expected to mark them within the typical time limits for such work done for on-campus courses. For example, a major paper may take one to four weeks from the date the instructor receives it.
Course Numbering
100-400 Undergraduate coursework, some of which may serve as prerequisites in the graduate programs.
500-599 Graduate courses. All have a prerequisite of post-baccalaureate or graduate standing. Individual courses may have specific prerequisites.
600-699 Doctoral level studies. Open only to doctoral students who have been advanced to candidacy.
The following designations are added after the course number:
d = directed study
x = extension
Semester Units
WCIU employs semester units. The term unit is treated as synonymous with credit hour, but may also refer to enrollment as an auditor, with no credit attached to audit units.
Courses in graduate studies normally receive 3-4 units of credit and require 60 hours of work per unit of credit.

Individualized studies are developed with these time commitments in mind. With few or no lectures or other forms of presentation, all course time is for readings and other study assignments. Instructors calculate a close approximation to the work required for classroom courses, but with the flexibility of not being bound by the typical class schedule.

The M.A. degree requires 32 units of graduate work beyond the bachelor’s degree, and the Ph.D. at least 75 units of post-baccalaureate studies, normally 45 units beyond the master’s degree.

Individualized Studies, Dissertation

Enrollment and Completion Date

Students may register for Individualized Study courses on the first day of any month.
Off-campus students may register for these by mail.
Outline and Enrollment Agreement forms for these studies are available from the Registrar’s Office who will assist, in consultation with faculty, in the assignment of course numbers according to the type and level of study.
The Completion Date for individualized studies typically is set six months after the Starting Date, unless the nature of the work or the student’s situation requires a longer time.
Instructors of individualized study courses usually work in the vicinity of the student and are expected to grade their work within the typical time limits for such studies on the campus. For example, grading a major paper may take one to four weeks from the date the instructor receives it.

Dissertation

Ph.D. associates may register for the doctoral dissertation only when they have completed all or almost all courses, have successfully passed the doctoral qualifying examination, and have been advanced to candidacy.
If the Completion Date specified for dissertation or certain major research courses is longer than six months after the Starting Date, the Registrar will record a grade of In Progress (IP) for each six months, provided that a Six-Month Progress Report (Ph.D. candidates) has been received to indicate that progress is being made as anticipated.
The final course grade will be recorded upon completion of all required work for the course.
A No Credit (NC) grade will be recorded if all work is not finished by the Completion Date unless an Extension has been requested by the student and approved by the instructor and the Registrar within the first 60% of the course, or unless an Incomplete (I) grade has been requested and approved before the original Completion Date and a new Completion Date has been set.
The time required to respond to drafts of a doctoral dissertation depends on many factors, including the length of the draft (a short chapter versus an entire dissertation); prior commitments to conferences, publishers, vacation, and other work on the part of the committee member; whether the draft is sent sequentially to more than one committee member; and other contingencies. Normally, each committee member should attempt to respond as soon as possible after receiving such drafts, and at the most within two months, barring exceptional circumstances.
The Completion Date for the doctoral dissertation must be within the ten-year time limit for the degree program. Extensions beyond the normal time periods for the dissertation and degree program require approval by the student’s committee and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. See the section on Time Limits.

Progress in Study Programs

Academic Advising

Students are required to seek WCIU academic advisement from their mentor or academic advisor each six months and to maintain satisfactory progress toward their degree or other program. The Six-Month Progress Report is to be submitted by Ph.D. candidates at times requested by the Ph.D. Program Office. Those who fail to send the Report to the WCIU Registrar’s Office for two consecutive six-month periods will be considered to have withdrawn from their program and must apply for readmission and pay the $15 Readmission Fee if they desire to resume studies later. They must meet admission and program requirements in effect at the time of their readmission.

Mentors and advisors may recommend that students take studies at other institutions, whether or not they are also registering for WCIU studies at that time. For example, beginning graduate students may undertake language and culture studies overseas, and advanced students may take specialized seminars toward their master’s or doctoral studies through other universities. Students should be aware, however, of the limits on transfer credits specified by WCIU, in compliance with State regulations. See the catalog section on Transfer Credit.

Student Privileges and Regulations

Class and Mentored Session -- Those whose programs call for regular sessions with a mentor, instructor, field supervisor, or study group are expected to be prepared for and keep those appointments. Students who must be absent should consult the session coordinator, in advance if possible, regarding work missed.

Students who must withdraw from a course or program are responsible to officially drop the course or withdraw from the degree program by filing a Change of Registration or Withdrawal form available from the Registrar’s Office. Failure to officially drop or withdraw may result in an F grade.

Study Load

The minimum study load for full-time status at the master’s level is 16 semester units per year (8 units per six months).
At the doctoral level, the minimum study load for full-time status is 12 semester units per year (6 units per six months) or significant progress toward the doctoral qualifying exam, dissertation research proposal, or dissertation.
WCIU encourages students to take studies on a part-time basis, so as to continue their commitments to work, service, family, and community.
Enrollment in more than 14 units of graduate studies during any one four month period of time, or more than the equivalent of 1 unit per week during short terms, summer sessions, or field-based studies, requires permission from the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Concurrent enrollment at other educational institutions is included in assessing the study load.
Field Studies and studies at other institutions: Using the above guidelines, equivalent full-time study loads can be determined for students taking studies through other educational institutions and in the field, using standard conversions between semester and quarter units (2 semester units equal 3 quarter units) or other measures of full-time studies.

Academic Progress

Students are expected to make satisfactory progress toward completion of their approved M.A. Program of Studies or Doctoral Learning Contract. They need to keep in mind the time limits set for completion of all degree requirements:

6 years for the M.A.

10 years for the Ph.D.

Continuous Enrollment

To maintain continuous enrollment, students must enroll in at least one course at WCIU toward their approved program of studies within 12 months of completing their latest course, unless a Leave of Absence has been granted. Studies in the field and at other educational institutions meet this requirement if approved in writing by the advisor or mentor.
Doctoral students enrolled in language studies, dissertation, or other types of extended studies and research need not register for other studies while their work is in progress, but must maintain close contact with their advisor and submit a Six-Month Progress Report to the Ph.D. Program Office on a regular basis. During this time they are considered as having continuous enrollment.
Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment, and who have not been granted a Leave of Absence, will be considered to have withdrawn and must submit an Application for Readmission and pay the required fee when they wish to enroll for further studies. They must meet the admission and program requirements in effect at the time of their readmission. Exceptions are granted only in unusual circumstances, and upon petition.
Leave of Absence
Students who need to be away from studies for more than 12-months, and who expect to resume working toward their degree or other program thereafter, may apply for a Leave of Absence to guarantee their right to continue in their approved program.
Leaves usually are granted for medical, work-related, and educational reasons, and are limited to one year (12 months). Renewal for a second consecutive year is not common.
Normally, the maximum cumulative time allowed on Leave is two years during a master’s program and three years during a doctoral or bachelor’s program. Exceptions are rare and require approval by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Upon return from the Leave of Absence, the instructor will require a written plan for the completion of the program before the Program Completion Date.
A Leave of Absence does not extend the normal time limit for completing degree programs. However, fees are not charged during the Leave, and the time spent on Leave is not considered when determining the applicability of program fees.
Students currently enrolled must complete their course(s) or module before being granted a Leave. Before the last day to withdraw from a course or module, students may withdraw from their courses or module and then request a Leave. In such cases, they maintain their status in their degree or other program while on Leave.
After the last day to withdraw from a course or module, failure to complete all assigned work for a course or module results in a No Credit or Failure grade, unless an exceptional withdrawal for reasons beyond the student’s control has been approved.

Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to Candidacy is required of students in the Ph.D. program before they may start research toward the doctoral dissertation. Candidacy is granted upon successful completion of the doctoral qualifying examination and all course work specified in the Doctoral Learning Contract. In some cases, the Ph.D. Program Committee, on recommendation of the student’s doctoral committee, may grant candidacy status if a specific course (e.g., language study on the field) has not been completed.

Time Limits for Degree Programs

All requirements for the M.A. degree must be completed within 6 years of the date of registration for the first course counted toward the degree after admission to WCIU (normally, after completion of any prerequisite preparation).
All requirements for the Ph.D. degree must be completed within 10 years of the date of registration for the first course counted toward the degree after admission to WCIU (normally, after completion of any prerequisite preparation).
An extension of these deadlines may be granted on petition under certain circumstances.

Special Students

Under certain circumstances, individuals may be admitted as special students and permitted to take some courses individually such as Foundations or others as determined by the Administration

Grading Policy

Grading Symbols

These symbols are assigned in accordance with common academic practice:

A+, A, A- excellent, highest quality

B+, B, B- very good; passing for graduate students

C+, C, C- Substandard performance for graduate students
Indicates performance below the standard necessary for an advanced degree; no grade below B- is acceptable toward a graduate degree program. Grades of C must be repeated for a higher grade.

F Fail

Cr Credit, graduate work: Reflects a grade of B- or higher and is used only in the PhD program, when appropriate and approved, for certain individualized studies.

NC No Credit: unacceptable work, not a passing grade. Affects GPA in the same way as an F and is used for regular courses and individualized studies.

Other Grading Symbols

I (Incomplete) — An I is assigned by the instructor when the student has done most of the required work, but is unable to complete certain items during the normal time period for the course for reasons beyond the student’s control, such as unanticipated medical problems.

The student must submit an Incomplete Grade Request and pay the fee. An I does not add earned units and does not affect GPA.

The instructor enters a new course grade when all requirements are met: the I remains on the student’s record, and the new grade and new GPA are entered under a later date.

If a new grade is not submitted by the instructor, an NC is recorded by the Registrar, upon approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

IP (In Progress) — IP is used for courses that normally extend beyond one academic term or six-month period, such as individualized studies and long-term research. It indicates that work is in progress, but that additional work is required before a final grade is assigned.

IP does not add earned units and does not affect GPA.
The instructor enters a new course grade when all requirements are met: the IP remains on the record, and the new grade and new GPA are entered under a later date. If a new grade is not submitted by the instructor, an NC or F is entered by the Registrar, upon approval of the Vice President, after the approved completion date.
IP is also used for the master’s thesis or project and the doctoral dissertation. A Pass (P) is entered upon successful completion of the work. If the work is not completed successfully, no change of grade is entered but the student’s program is recorded as terminated.

RD (Report Delayed) — RD is recorded when a delay in reporting the grade is due to administrative circumstances not caused by student actions. RD does not add earned units and does not affect GPA. When available, the earned grade replaces RD and the term’s GPA is recalculated.

W (Withdrawal) — W is used only for emergency withdrawal after the last day to drop courses and no later than 60% of the course when the student’s petition to withdraw from a course or from the University for reasons beyond his or her control has been approved. W does not add earned units and does not affect GPA. A student who fails to complete a course, and who has not obtained approval to drop or withdraw from it, will receive an NC or F.

Course Grading Patterns

Most courses are graded on a mandatory letter grade basis (A,B,C,F). All courses toward the Master’s degree must be graded for a letter grade. Where appropriate and approved on the Doctoral Learning Contract, Ph.D. students may exercise the option of taking certain individualized courses CR/NC by notifying the instructor and filing a request with the Registrar’s Office. The instructor sets the deadline for exercising the student option: any time from the Starting to the Completion Date is acceptable, if the instructor agrees.

Calculating GPA (Grade Point Average)

‘+’ adds 0.3, and ‘–’ subtracts 0.3, from the usual grade points for each letter grade. These grade points are assigned:

4.0 A+ 3.3 B+ 2.3 C+ 0.0 NC

4.0 A 3.0 B 2.0 C 0.0 F

3.7 A- 2.7 B- 1.7 C-

To determine GPA:

For each course or module, multiply the grade points indicated above by the number of units.

Add the total number of units (U) and the total number of grade points (GP).

Divide the total number of grade points by the total number of units. GPA=GP/U

No grade points; units not counted when determining GPA:
CR I IP RD W
A+ is granted sparingly, normally for no more than 5% of an instructor’s grades.
Effect of Cr/NC and F Grades
CR grades do not affect GPA. These course units are ignored when calculating GPA, but the units are included in the total needed to fulfill degree and program requirements.
NC and F grades are assigned a value of 0.0 per unit when calculating GPA. Courses for which an NC or F is assigned are included in GPA calculations and in determining Probation and Disqualification.
NC and F course units do not add credits or fulfill degree or program requirements.
Failure to satisfactorily complete the doctoral dissertation within the time limit for the degree will result in termination of the student’s program. No grade is entered on the student’s record in such cases, but the student’s degree program is recorded as terminated.

Scholarship Standards

To remain in good standing and to graduate, students must maintain at minimum GPA of 3.0 for M.A. and Ph.D. degree programs.

No grades lower than B- may be applied toward graduate degrees.

Students who fall below the required GPA and do not correct this deficiency within one semester or six-month period, and who have not made special arrangements with the Vice President for Academic Affairs, will not be allowed to continue their programs. See Probation and Disqualification policies below.

Repeating Courses

Students may repeat only courses in which they receive less than a 3.00 (B).

A request to repeat the same course more than once requires a petition for an exception to normal practice.
When a course is repeated, all grades received for the course, and all past GPAs, are retained in the student’s permanent record and transcript, but only the highest grade is calculated in the cumulative GPA from that date on.

Grade Appeals

If a student has a question about a grade, he or she should notify services@wciu.edu, who will forward the question to the faculty member responsible for the grade. The student will be sent a copy of the Grading Inquiry and Appeals Policy, and the Mentor and Student Services Department will ensure that the process is carried through in a way that is timely and serves the student well.

The faculty member will communicate with the student to answer the question, copying all communication to the mentor and to services@wciu.edu.

If the student is not satisfied, he or she may file a request for a review of his or her grade with the Director of Student Services by responding again to services@wciu.edu. The student must give explicit reasons why he or she feels that the grading was inappropriate.

The Student Services Director will notify the faculty member and the Vice President for Academic Affairs that an appeal has been made.

The faculty member will confer with the Vice President for Academic Affairs, consider the student's concerns, and make a response in writing, explaining why the original grade was given and why a new grade is or is not being given. If necessary, the faculty member will correspond directly with the student to gain clarification if he does not understand the objection.

The Student Services Director informs the student of the faculty member's decision and files the student's appeal and the faculty response in the student's file.

If the student is still not satisfied, the final level of appeal is to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will change a grade only if it was determined that the grade was based on capriciousness or prejudice. The response of the Vice President for Academic Affairs will be final.

Academic Probation and Disqualification

Probation

Insight students will be placed on probation if their semester GPA falls below a 2.0.
Graduate students are placed on Probation if their cumulative GPA is below 3.00, or if their semester or six-month GPA falls below 3.00 for two consecutive semesters or six-month periods (excluding short terms).
Students on probation must have permission from the Vice President for Academic Affairs before enrolling in any course, and may be asked to sign a study contract until good academic standing has again been attained.
The University reserves the right to place students on probation or to disqualify students for cheating, other disciplinary reasons, lack of adequate progress toward a degree, and other justifiable causes. See the Student Handbook.

Disqualification

Graduate students currently on Probation will be disqualified if their GPA for the current term or six-month period falls below 3.00 or if they fail to make satisfactory progress toward removing the current deficiency in cumulative GPA.
To continue studies, a student who has been disqualified must petition for reinstatement and show adequate reason to suggest that satisfactory work will be completed in the future.
The University reserves the right to place students on probation or to disqualify students for cheating, other disciplinary reasons, lack of adequate progress toward a degree, and other justifiable causes. See the Student Handbook.

Graduation

Graduation Requirements

All program requirements, including GPA standards, must be satisfactorily met prior to graduation.
All payments due to the University must be paid before the student’s diploma or complete transcript will be released, but approved deferred payments that are not yet paid will not affect the date of graduation.
A cumulative GPA of 3.00 (B) or higher must be attained in all work applied toward graduate degrees. No grades lower than B- may be applied toward graduate degrees. See the catalog section on each degree program for any other restrictions.
The Registrar may supply a letter confirming that all degree requirements have been met. Exceptions to the release of the diploma or transcript require permission from the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Application for Graduation

MA students submit an Application for Graduation form when they register for Module 4.
PhD students submit an Application for Graduation form when they submit the first draft of any chapter of their dissertation.
Failure to apply according to above timeline may result in a later graduation date.

Date of Graduation

When students have completed all degree requirements, they may request a letter from the Registrar stating that they have met all requirements for the degree.
The date of graduation, which will appear on their diploma and permanent record from which transcripts are generated, is the end of the month in which all requirements are met.
If students have not yet met all financial or other obligations to WCIU, the date of their graduation will not be delayed, but the University will not issue the diploma or transcript showing their degree until the obligations have been met.

Commencement Ceremonies

Because of the field-based nature of WCIU’s degree programs, most students are unable to come to campus for commencement ceremonies. Participation or lack of participation in such ceremonies does not in any way affect the date of graduation, the latter being based on completion of degree requirements.

If at any time a group of mentors, advisors, and students wishes to hold commencement ceremonies at WCIU or in their local area, they should request permission from the Registrar for this event. The President will determine the circumstances under which WCIU will sponsor commencement ceremonies, how the costs are to be met, and who will represent the University at the ceremonies.

To qualify for participation in commencement, students must have filed all necessary papers and have completed all requirements for the degree.

Exception: Students who have completed almost all degree requirements may petition to participate in commencement ceremonies if their advisor or mentor certifies that there is good reason to expect them to complete the remaining requirements within three months after the date of the ceremonies and upon approval of the Vice President.