GRADUATE SCHOOL ACADEMIC POLICIES

Academic Advising

Academic Grievance

Students, faculty members, and administrators are strongly encouraged to attempt to resolve informally problems arising from academic matters. The Graduate School hopes that open communication between all parties and mutual confidence in one another's goodwill will lead to the resolution of problems in this manner. When informal attempts at resolution fail, the management of academic grievances involving students of the Graduate School is to proceed according to the formal procedures set forth below.

Jurisdiction

Students, faculty members, or administrators may invoke the following procedures when academic grievances arise. Academic grievances include dismissal from a program as well as those that arise from matters involving scholarly competence and ethical scholarly behavior; thus, questions regarding evaluation of students, cheating on examinations, falsification or misrepresentation of research data and plagiarism are included within the meaning of "academic." Allegations of misconduct in the design, conduct or reporting of research supported by federal funds shall be handled through the procedures described in the university's policy concerning misconduct in scholarship published by the Office of University Research Services. Problems arising from clearly non-academic matters fall within the jurisdiction of the university's Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. In cases in which the jurisdiction is unclear or mixed, the Dean of the Graduate School and the vice president for student development will determine the appropriate jurisdiction.

Regarding evaluation of students, the academic grievance procedure applies only to those cases in which the evaluation of the student is alleged to be capricious, in significant violation of clearly established written school policies or a result of improper procedures. An evaluation of a student is capricious if the evaluation is: 1) based partially or entirely on criteria other than the student's performance; 2) based on standards different from those standards of evaluation applied to other students; or 3) based on a substantial departure from announced standards of evaluation. In cases other than those noted above, an evaluation of a student is not a basis for an academic grievance.

Department/Program Grievance Hearing

When informal efforts at grievance resolution fail, students must first address the issue at the departmental or programmatic level. Each University unit has a grievance procedure and this procedure guides the process. If a complainant wishes to appeal the decision reached at the departmental/programmatic level, the complainant can request a Graduate School hearing.

Graduate School Hearing

Request for a Hearing: The grievant is to make a written request for a hearing to the Dean of the Graduate School. The request must specify the nature of the grievance and prior attempts to resolve the matter. The request must be made within thirty days of a decision reached at the departmental/programmatic level. Once such a request is received, the Graduate School will request copies of all materials generated at the departmental/programmatic level.

Hearing Board

The Graduate School has a standing hearing board, appointed by the Dean, consisting of at least three members, including one student; in addition, alternate members are available should a member of the standing board be involved in the grievance or otherwise unable to participate. Only members of the Graduate School faculty or Graduate School students are eligible to serve on the hearing board. The hearing board is to have a chairperson, appointed by the Dean, who is responsible for managing all procedures related to the hearing.

Hearing Procedure

The purpose of the hearing is to ensure that all parties have full opportunity to present their views to the hearing board and to allow the hearing board to assure itself that it fully understands the parties' views. The conduct of the hearing is informal. It is not bound by rules of evidence or court procedures. All matters of procedure are to be decided by the chairperson of the hearing board in accordance with the following guidelines.

The chairperson of the hearing board is to set the date, time, and location of the hearing. The hearing is to take place within 30 days of the request for a hearing, if practicable. All involved parties are to receive a timely written notice of the hearing and the matters to be considered. All supporting documentation relating to the matter is to be submitted to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School at least three weeks prior to the hearing. The Associate Dean will distribute it in a timely manner to all involved parties prior to the hearing.

The hearing and material submitted to the hearing board are private and all parties involved in the grievance are to consider their contents confidential. However, if a party disseminates their contents, the party's interest in confidentiality is deemed waived. Electronic recording of the hearing is prohibited.

A party may obtain the assistance of members of the university community in preparing written documentation or in presenting information to the hearing board, provided that the assistants are not attorneys. Individuals from outside the university, including attorneys, are not permitted to serve as assistants. The party must notify the chairperson of the hearing board of the names of the assistants at least one day prior to the hearing.

Each party may present information, both orally and in writing, to the hearing board. All parties are to be available throughout the hearing. Two formats for the hearing exist and are determined by the chairperson of the hearing board: all parties are present together during the hearing or the parties are heard separately at the hearing. Each party may call witnesses at the hearing. The party is to submit to the chairperson of the hearing board the witnesses' names at least one week prior to the hearing; the hearing board will notify all parties of the names of witnesses in a timely manner prior to the hearing. The board may direct questions to any party or witness. All individuals presenting information to the hearing board have the responsibility of presenting truthful information.

After the hearing board has gathered all information necessary to understand fully the parties' views, the board will deliberate in private. In reaching its decision, the board will examine all documents and other exhibits and consider fully statements of all parties and witnesses. The decision of the board will be determined by a majority vote of participating board members.

The Associate Dean of the Graduate School will notify the parties in writing of the board's decision within two weeks of the hearing.

Appeal

A party may appeal the decision of the hearing board to the Dean of the Graduate School. The party is to request an appeal in writing within 30 days of notification of the hearing board's decision. The request must include an explanation of the basis for the appeal. The Dean will notify all parties of the request for an appeal and will provide an opportunity for a response. The Dean will obtain from the parties and the hearing board information necessary to consider fully the parties' views and the hearing board's decision.

The Dean may affirm, modify or reverse the hearing board's decision. The Dean will notify the parties of the disposition of the appeal within 30 days of receiving the appeal, if practicable. The Dean's decision is final in all cases (including dismissal from a Graduate School program), except those involving possible expulsion from the university (i.e., a permanent prohibition of enrollment at the university); the penalty of expulsion may be imposed only by the university's provost or senior vice president for health sciences.

The Graduate School retains copies of all documentation related to the management of grievances under its jurisdiction.

Academic Integrity

Academic honesty is an expression of an ethic of interpersonal justice, responsibility and care, applicable to Loyola University Chicago faculty, students and staff, which demands that the pursuit of knowledge in the university community be carried out with integrity.

Academic dishonesty is characterized by the failure to apply this ethic; i.e., any action whereby faculty, student or staff misrepresents the ownership of academic work submitted in her or his name. A student's failure to practice academic honesty, depending upon the seriousness of the misconduct, will result in a sanction ranging from the grade of F for the assignment to expulsion from the university.

Boundaries of Academic Honesty and Dishonesty

The following sections discuss specific expressions of academic honesty and dishonesty.

Examinations: Obtaining or distributing materials prior to the scheduled examination without the intention of the teacher; providing information to or obtaining information from another student during the examination; or attempting to change answers after the examination has been submitted are violations of the examination process.

Papers, Theses and Dissertations: Plagiarism is the use of ideas, language, or work of another without sufficient public acknowledgement that the material is not one's own. The following acts are regarded as such violations:

• Submitting another person's work as one's own
• Submitting a rewritten or paraphrased version of another person's work
• Allowing another or paying another to write a paper for one's own benefit

Original Research: Thesis and dissertation work is guided by the expectation of making an original contribution to the field. The determination of what constitutes "original research" is made by the thesis/dissertation committee and the Graduate School.

Research Procedures: Data misrepresentation or fabrication are clearly unethical. Ownership of data and programs and privileged information and confidentiality of data need to be clarified and respected by all those involved in the research process.

Authorship: In all cases of joint authorship, individuals working together should establish ahead of time the criteria for their co-authorship. Final determination of authorship should reflect effort and contribution, not rank or status.  Dissertations and theses may not be co-authored.

Copyright: Laws of the United States and the university need to be respected. Faculty and students are responsible for knowledge and implementation of university policy in this area.

Teaching: Intellectual honesty characterizes the teaching endeavor. Teachers have the responsibility of clearly stating at the beginning of a course any and all responsibilities of the course and specifying in percentages how the final grade is to be calculated. Furthermore, teachers will inform themselves of appropriate guidelines for the composition of course syllabi and ground rules.

Failure to Practice Academic Honesty

A student's failure to practice academic honesty, depending upon the seriousness of the misconduct, will result in a sanction ranging from the grade of F for the assignment to expulsion from the university. Channels for resolution of matters regarding academic honesty will originate with the relevant faculty members and student and will extend to the program and Graduate School levels as necessary. All instances of academic dishonesty must be reported to the director of the graduate program and the Graduate School.

Academic Standing

Advanced Standing Toward the Doctoral Degree

A student who has been awarded a relevant master's degree by another institution may petition for advanced standing toward the coursework required for a doctoral degree program. A maximum of thirty credits of advanced standing may be awarded. Some doctoral programs may impose a lower limit or may not permit advanced standing at all. Requests for advanced standing should be made during the student's first year of enrollment in the Graduate School. Requests for advanced standing must be made to the Graduate Program Director (GPD) of the student's doctoral program, who will make a recommendation to the Graduate School for final review and approval. This recommendation will include both the number of advanced standing credits to be awarded and the number of credits of coursework that remain to be completed for the degree through registration in the Graduate School. Advanced standing does not alter a student’s doctoral degree requirements outside of coursework (such as comprehensive exams) or confer candidacy. The number of approved credits of advanced standing will be recorded on the student's transcript but will not contribute to the student’s Grade Point Average (GPA). Students entering their doctoral program with Advanced Standing should refer to Graduate School policy on time limit for completion of degree requirements for students.

Also see Transfer Credit Policy.

Appeal for Change of Academic Record

A student’s appeal to change an academic record (e.g., withdrawal date) must be submitted using the Appeal for Change of Academic Record form to describe mitigating circumstances as to why the academic record should be changed. An appeal to change an academic record must be submitted within one calendar year after the last day of the academic term in question. Appeals for summer terms must be received by June 1 of the following calendar year.

Computation of Academic Grade Point Averages

The transcript reflects a student’s actual academic record and the GPA includes all grades earned during the pursuit of the degree.  Students must maintain at least a 3.0 or higher GPA for all courses taken while in graduate career.

If a student, with the authorization of the Dean and graduate program director, retakes a course, only the most recent grade earned for the course will be used when evaluating whether or not all degree requirements have been met.

No more than two courses for which a student receives a final grade of C+ (2.33) or C (2.00), and no course for which a student receives a final grade of less than a C (2.00), may be applied toward the fulfillment of degree or certificate requirements. Such grades, however, will be used in the calculation of a student's overall grade point average.

Communication from Academic Deans

Comprehensive Examinations

Most programs require the completion of written and/or oral comprehensive (or qualifying) examinations to assess the student's knowledge of the field and competency to undertake independent research. The comprehensive examinations, if required, are to be completed successfully before the student prepares a thesis/dissertation proposal for review by her or his committee. If a student fails all or a portion of the examinations, reexamination may be permitted, but only once. Failure of the reexamination will result in dismissal from the program.  Students who have not completed the coursework for their programs, including outstanding Incomplete grades, will not be permitted to sit for comprehensive exams, nor will students on academic probation. 

Coursework Requirements

Course Levels

Graduate students may only receive credit toward a degree or certificate from courses at the 400-level and above.

Undergraduate courses, including all 100, 200, and 300-level courses, do not apply toward fulfillment of graduate coursework requirements; such courses may, however, be used to fulfill prerequisite or research tool requirements (e.g., a 100-level language course may be used to fulfill a program's language requirement).

Degree Conferral/Graduation

Students are to apply to receive a PhD, MA or MS degree through LOCUS. The should select a degree conferral term at the end of which they expect to complete all degree requirements. Deadlines for degree conferral application are:

Conferral Term    Deadline to Apply for Graduation

• FALL (December) - August 1
• SPRING (May) - December 1
• SUMMER (August) - February 1

Please note that students submitting a thesis or dissertation must fulfill all degree requirements, including defense and submission of final copies, prior to degree conferral.

The Graduate School's commencement ceremony is held once per academic year, in May.  For more information, see Loyola’s Commencement website: http://www.luc.edu/commencement/.

Dissertations and Theses

Doctoral Candidacy

The requirements for doctoral candidacy are: 1) successful completion of all specifically required coursework; 2) fulfillment of all research tool requirements; 3) successful completion of all comprehensive examinations; 4) approval of the dissertation proposal by the approved dissertation committee, the IRB and/or the IACUC (if necessary) and the Graduate School.

Students have five years after admission to doctoral candidacy to complete all of their remaining degree requirements, including all dissertation requirements.

Please see below for details about time limits for degree requirements.

English Language Requirement

The Graduate School's English-language requirement is intended to further students' academic success and allow them to attain a level of proficiency expected of students completing a graduate program at a U.S. university. As stated in letters of admission, the requirement applies to degree-seeking students who have not received a bachelor's degree from an institution where English is the language of instruction. The requirement includes assessment of students' English skills and, depending on the results of the assessment, coursework. The English-language requirement is a degree requirement; students who have not fulfilled the requirement will not receive a degree. In addition, students must complete the requirement in their first term in order to be eligible for continued enrollment in the Graduate School and for renewal of awards.

The Graduate School may grant a student an exemption from the English-language requirement if the student has written and orally defended a thesis or dissertation as part of completing a graduate program at an institution where English is the language of instruction. All requests for exemption must be in writing and include appropriate supporting documentation. Requests must be sent first to the student's graduate program director, who is to then send it to the Graduate School with a written recommendation regarding the request. The Graduate School will not grant an exemption without receiving a positive recommendation from the graduate program director. Requests for exemption must be received by the Graduate School: at least one week before the placement test preceding the student’s first semester as a degree-seeking student. The Graduate School will determine whether the student qualifies for an exemption and will notify the student and the graduate program director of its decision.

Assessment

As indicated above, the English-language requirement includes a placement test to assess students' English skills. This placement test is administered by Loyola University Chicago's Department of English as a Second Language (ESL) and is not the same as either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), taken before admission.

Students entering a Graduate School program as a degree-seeking student during the Summer or Fall Semesters must take the placement test scheduled prior to the beginning of their first Fall Semester. Students entering a Graduate School program as a degree-seeking student during the Spring Semester must take the placement test scheduled prior to the beginning of their first Spring Semester.

The ESL department will notify students of the results of the test. Students whose score on the placement test indicates they have attained acceptable English proficiency will have fulfilled the English-language requirement. Students whose scores indicate they are in need of additional English instruction will be required to complete coursework.  Students who take the placement test will not subsequently be eligible for an exemption from the English-language requirement.

Coursework

As noted above, students whose score on the placement test indicates they are in need of additional English instruction will be required to complete coursework in Loyola's ESL department to improve their English reading, writing and speaking skills. This coursework will be in addition to the courses required in the student's graduate program and must be taken immediately following the placement test.

Students are expected to attend all classes and complete all assignments. Students must receive a grade of CR (credit) for each required course; courses for which students receive a grade of NC (no credit) will not apply toward fulfillment of the English language requirement.

If extraordinary circumstances prevent one from taking required coursework in the first semester, the student may request to defer coursework for one semester. Requests for deferrals must be in writing and sent first to the student's graduate program director, who is to then send it to the Graduate School with a written recommendation regarding the request. Requests for deferrals must be received by the Graduate School within one week of notification of placement test results. The Graduate School will notify the student and the graduate program director of its decision.

Additional Information

Students with questions regarding the Graduate School's English-language policies should contact their graduate program director or the Graduate School. Students with questions regarding the nature of the placement test or coursework should visit the ESL department's Website

Enrollment in Courses

While academic advising is available from the student’s program or department, each student is responsible for developing an accurate and appropriate schedule of classes each term. Students are allowed to change their registrations in conformity with the guidelines established by the Office of Registration and Records and the Bursar's office. Students are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of their enrollment and understanding the academic and financial consequences of adding or withdrawing courses.

STUDENT ENROLLMENT STATUS

Fall and Spring Semesters

Students are considered full time if they are either: 1) enrolled in at least eight credit hours of coursework; or 2) enrolled in Thesis Supervision (course #595), Master's Study (#605), Dissertation Supervision (#600), Doctoral Study (#610), or a full-time clerkship, internship or practicum course.

Summer Sessions

Students are considered full-time if they are either: 1) enrolled in at least six credit hours of coursework; 2) enrolled in Thesis Supervision (course #S59), Master's Study (#S65), Dissertation Supervision (#S60), Doctoral Study (#S61), or a full-time clerkship, internship or practicum course; or 3) enrolled in and hold a full graduate assistantship or fellowship. Students are considered half-time students if they are enrolled in at least three but less than six credit hours of coursework.

Full- and part-time status are reported to loan companies and to the U.S. government, including the INS.  Full- and part- time status are not necessarily related to eligibility for health insurance, or to Loyola’s fees.

Final Examinations

Final examinations are given during the scheduled examination period in each session. Students are expected to take no more than three final examinations in one day. Tests or examinations may be given during the semester or summer sessions as often as deemed advisable by the instructor. Students who miss a final examination should contact their instructor.

Grades

The grades (and associated grade-point values) in the Graduate School are as follows:

Grading System

Grade	Grade Points
A	4.00
A-	3.67
B+	3.33
B	3.00
B-	2.67
C+	2.33
C	2.00
C-	1.67
D+	1.33
D	1.00
F	0.00
I	Incomplete
W	Withdrawal
WE	Emergency Withdrawal
P	Pass/Credit
NP	Non-Pass/No Credit
AU	Audit

Incomplete Grades

The Graduate School expects students to complete all coursework by the end of the term during which the courses were taken. However, if a student and the instructor make arrangements in advance, a student may receive a grade of I (Incomplete) at the end of the term. The student is to complete the outstanding work and submit it to the instructor according to a schedule approved by the instructor, subject to the following Graduate School policies.

The student must complete and submit all outstanding work to the instructor by the last day of the semester following the term in which the I grade was assigned. (For purposes of incomplete grades, the summer sessions are counted together as one term.) If the student does not turn in the work by the deadline, the I will automatically become an F. The Graduate School will not approve a change of grade if the student does not complete and submit the work to the instructor within one term of the assignment of an I grade.

Withdrawal from Courses

If a student withdraws from a course before the published withdrawal deadline, the student's transcript will show no record of the course. Students contemplating official withdrawal from a class and receiving or expecting to receive financial assistance should consult with the Office of Student Financial Assistance. A grade of "W" indicates official withdrawal from a course through the allowed withdrawal period (see academic calendar for dates). The grade "W" is not counted in computation of academic standing as either attempted or earned credit hours, nor calculated in the grade point average.  With a complete emergency term withdrawal, the grade of “WE” does not count towards attempted credit hours or in GPA (effective Fall 2022).  However, both the “W” and the “WE” count towards attempted hours when determining Satisfactory Academic Progress for continued financial aid eligibility.

Credit/No Credit

Thesis Supervision (course #595), Master's Study (#605), Dissertation Supervision (#600), Doctoral Study (#610) and certain other graduate courses are graded on a credit/no credit basis. A grade of P (pass) indicates that the student made satisfactory progress toward completion of course or degree requirements. A grade of NP (no pass) indicates that the student did not make satisfactory progress toward completion of course or degree requirements.

Audit

Auditors are not required to complete course assignments, including examinations and term papers. Class attendance is required, and auditors have a right to participate in class discussions. A grade of AU indicates satisfactory attendance; students who do not meet the attendance requirement will receive a grade of W. Auditors are assessed one-half tuition.

Pass/Fail

The Pass/Fail option is not available for courses taken for graduate credit. The Pass/Fail option is available for other courses (e.g., foreign-language courses taken to fulfill a research-tool requirement).

International Travel

Graduate Student's traveling internationally on university-related business (including research and conference attendance/participation) are expected to abide by university travel policies. The Graduate School provides financial assistance through travel awards, including support for the Insurance for International Travel fee.

Inter-University Visitation

Loyola University Chicago is a member of the Midwest Catholic Graduate Schools Consortium. Through an agreement with Marquette University, University of Notre Dame, and Saint Louis University, students matriculated in the Graduate School may, with approval, take course work at one of the partner schools to apply to their degree requirements at Loyola. This is not transfer credit, but rather consider in-residence credit earned in visitation to a partner school. The student is enrolled in a degree program at their home university (Loyola), and all financial arrangements are made through the home university, but the student attends the host university on a short-term basis with prior approval. Students who are interested in learning more should contact the Graduate School.

Leaves of Absence

Official leaves of absence are intended for students who wish to discontinue temporarily their graduate studies due to special circumstances (e.g., medical, personal or professional reasons). Students who are on a leave of absence may not use University resources, including faculty time. A leave of absence postpones all deadlines concerning completion of degree requirements for the duration of the leave of absence.

The Leave of Absence form is available through the Graduate Student Progress System at https://gsps.luc.edu/. Please log in to create this form for approval.

Decisions regarding the approval of leaves of absence rest with the Graduate School; when reviewing requests for a leave of absence, the Graduate School may require additional information or documentation from the student and the graduate program director. In cases where the graduate program director recommends that the leave of absence not be granted, the student may petition the Graduate School to consider her/his request. International students admitted to the United States on temporary visas must also receive approval from the university's Office of International Programs for information regarding eligibility for a leave of absence.

Leaves of absence are limited to a period of one full academic year. If a student is not prepared to return to active status after one year, the student may request a renewal of the leave of absence for a period of up to one year; in such cases, the graduate program director and the Graduate School will review the student's record and future plans to determine whether an additional leave is in the best interests of the student, the program and the Graduate School.

In order to be reinstated to active status, the student must notify the Graduate School in writing upon returning from a leave of absence. Unless the student is granted a renewal of a leave of absence, the student must return to active status in the semester following the expiration of a leave of absence; failure to do so may result in dismissal from the program.  If a student does not return from a leave of absence after two consecutive years, s/he must reapply for admission to the program.

Military Service

Students who have been called into the armed services of the United States and who are consequently withdrawing from the university before the end of the withdrawal period will receive a refund of all tuition and fees paid for the period in question but no academic credit. If they withdraw after the end of the withdrawal period, they will receive full academic credit for the semester with grades as of the date of withdrawal but no refund of tuition.

Parental Leave Policy

The qualifying students will receive their full stipend from the Graduate School for up to 60 calendar days (the equivalent of 8 work weeks). The leave time must be taken consecutively.

Either parent is eligible. If both parents are full time funded Graduate School students from the LUC lakeside campuses, and both are in good standing, both students may submit an application, but with the understanding that only one parental leave is allowed at a time (e.g., maximum total of 60 calendar days), and therefore can be divided but not duplicated.

Qualifying students must be the primary caregiver, devoting at least 40 hours per week to the direct care and supervision of the child.

Lakeside Campuses Procedure

This policy refers to full-time graduate students at the LUC lakeside campuses who are in good academic standing, funded by an assistantship through the Graduate School and/or extramural agencies, and who are to become a parent, or take on the commitment as the parent, of an infant or young child.

NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION:

A. Notification
1. The Graduate Program Director:
First, the student who plans to make an application for a Parental Leave must establish a meeting with the Graduate Program Director (GPD) at least four months in advance of the planned leave, barring special circumstances (e.g., sudden notice of the adoption, or an emergency situation. This allows the GPD sufficient time to arrange for substitutes to fulfill the student’s research and/or teaching obligations for professors, or the Department. It is also important for planning the continuance of the student’s program upon his or her return.

Research Assistants
Research assistants will be replaced by the Graduate Program Director for the duration of the leave, and the substitutes will receive a stipend from the Graduate School.

Teaching Assistants and Graduate Student Teachers of Record
Teaching assistants and graduate student teachers of record will be replaced by the Graduate Program Director, or chairperson, according to the custom of the department, and the substitutes will receive a stipend from the Graduate School.

2. Professors Affected by the Leave:
The Graduate Program Director communicates to the professors affected by the student’s leave. In the case of those professors in whose classes the student is presently enrolled, the ways and timeline by which course requirements will be fulfilled will be discussed. Professors assisted by the student in research and/or teaching will be notified by the GPD about the intended leave and the plan to provide a substitute assistant for the duration of the student’s absence.

3. Loyola’s International Students Office (If Applicable):
International students with a student visa must notify Loyola’s International Students Office of their plan to obtain a parental leave since a leave from their academic program may affect their visa status.

B. Application
1. The Associate Dean of the Graduate School
Four months prior to the intended leave, and immediately after meeting with the Graduate Program Director, the student applies to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School. It is the responsibility of the Associate Dean to examine the academic performance of the student to ensure that the student is in good standing, and following consultation with the Graduate Program Director, to assess whether the student will be successful in completing the program upon his or her return from the leave.

2. Extramural Funding Agencies (If Applicable):
Students who are funded by extramural sources will notify the funding agency(ies) immediately, and make application to the outside funder(s) for parental leave.*

*Note: Students funded solely by extramural agencies who do not allow for full stipend support during the period of parental leave may petition the Dean of the Graduate school for a full or partial stipend. Further questions should be directed to each graduate student’s Graduate Program Director.

Personal Illness Absence Policy

The Policy recognizes that Graduate Assistants are able to continue their enrollment and associated financial support while absent for limited periods of time from their graduate assistantship role due to personal illness. With the exception of Graduate Assistants who are supported by extramural funding from the National Institutes of Health (and so subject to NIH policy), the University permits Graduate Assistants to be absent due to personal illness from their graduate assistantship role for up to (but no more than) fifteen calendar days (consecutive or non-consecutive) per academic year. Graduate Assistants are expected to inform their faculty mentor as soon as possible about their need for an absence from their graduate assistantship role due to illness, but in any event no later than the beginning of the period of the absence. Graduate Assistants who miss coursework due to illness are still held to normal course and grading policies for the relevant department(s) or course instructor(s). Graduate Assistants who must be absent from their graduate assistantship role due to illness for more than fifteen consecutive days should ordinarily request a medical leave of absence from the University.

Probation and Dismissal

This policy outlines the conditions under which a student may be placed on probation or dismiss from their graduate program for academic performance reasons. Students should review the Academic Policy on Time Limit for Completion of Degree Requirements and be aware of departmental timelines. Please note that individual programs may have more stringent rules regarding probation and students should
be aware of those policies as listed in their program handbook.
Students may be placed on probation or dismissed from their graduate program in one of two cases:

1) Minimum GPA: Students who fail to maintain a grade-point average of at least a 3.00 will be placed on academic probation. In such cases, if the student does not raise the grade-point average to at least 3.00 during the next two consecutive terms in which the student registers, the student will be dismissed for poor scholarship.

Students who are near the end of their programs must raise their cumulative GPA to 3.00 in order to receive a degree. Students will require permission from their program and the Graduate School to continue taking courses after they have completed their program hours in the hope of raising their cumulative GPA above 3.00 in order to graduate.
2) Satisfactory degree progress post coursework: After completion of their coursework, students who are writing a thesis or dissertation must continue to make satisfactory, timely progress towards the degree. The determination of a student’s failure to make satisfactory academic progress must be based on:

• Failure to meet one of the milestones according to the timeline for satisfactory academic progress set by the student’s program
• Number of NPs: Master’s and Doctoral Study and Supervision courses are graded on a P/NP (Pass/No Pass) basis. Students who are not making satisfactory progress should receive an NP, which will prompt the student to be on academic probation. Students who receive two NP grades may face dismissal.
• The outcome of the graduate program’s annual graduate student review based on the quality or pace of the student’s progress.

In each of these cases, the student must be provided with sufficient feedback and an opportunity to address the problem. The department or program should notify the student and the Graduate School, and the student will be placed on probation. Failure to complete the requirement or make the required progress during the probationary period will result in the case being forwarded to the appropriate
faculty committee or unit for a vote on terminating the student from the degree program. While on probation, the student is expected to meet other program deadlines on schedule.

If the committee votes to terminate the student in the program, a program should submit a request for the student’s dismissal to the Graduate School. Following the program’s communication to the student of the dismissal and its rationale, the Dean will then send a letter of dismissal to the student. A student who is dismissed for failure to maintain satisfactory progress may appeal the decision to the Dean of the Graduate School following the procedure outlined in the Graduate School’s Academic Grievance Policy.

Program-Specific Requirements

Because of the diversity of graduate work in different branches of knowledge, individual graduate programs have varying requirements about undergraduate prerequisites, graduate coursework, research tool requirements, comprehensive examinations, theses and dissertations and other matters. Please consult your department's website for individual program requirements listed in this catalog. In cases where there is a conflict between a program's publications and this catalog, the catalog governs.

Protection of Human and Animal Subjects in Research

Reasonable Accommodations for Graduate Assistants

Graduate teaching or research assistants who are in a COVID-19 high-risk category, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control, or who live with someone in a high-risk category, may be eligible for an accommodation. A reasonable accommodation is a modification that enables the student to perform the essential duties of their position, with some modification, without creating an undue hardship to the unit or to the completion of their assistantship duties. For more information, please reach out to the Student Accessibility Center at sac@luc.edu. 

Registration

Research Tool Requirement

Several programs have established a "research tool" requirement (e.g., knowledge of a foreign language, proficiency in statistics) to ensure that students are adequately prepared to conduct research in their field. Students in these programs must meet the program's deadline for completing the requirement (i.e., prior to sitting for comprehensive examinations or prior to completing a thesis/dissertation proposal).

Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship Training

Students with Disabilities

At times, students with disabilities may wish to avail themselves of the university's ancillary services. Students who would like to seek accommodations at the university for their coursework or merit award (teaching and research assistantships) need to contact the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities. Contact information is available at www.luc.edu/depts/lac/disabilities.

Time Limit for Completion of Degree Requirements

Transcripts of Graduate Work

All courses taken by the student and other relevant academic information are included on the student's official academic transcripts, which are maintained by the university's Office of Registration and Records.

Transfer Credit

It is ordinarily expected that all work towards a master's degree will be completed in the program at Loyola University Chicago. However, up to six credit hours of graduate work completed in another Loyola program or at another institution may be applied toward a master's degree with permission of the program’s Graduate Program Director (GPD) and the Graduate School. Students may request transfer of credit, and the program can make its recommendation to the Graduate School during the student's first semester in the Graduate School. The Graduate School maintains responsibility for approving transfer credit. To ensure that each student is well prepared for undertaking scholarship in the student's current field of study, the Graduate School's decision regarding transfer credit will be based on the quality of the student's work, the time interval since its completion and its relevance to the student's program of study at Loyola. Coursework below a B grade will not be accepted. Students may not transfer coursework that has been awarded as part of a conferred or completed degree program. If a course fulfills the learning outcomes of a requirement in the student’s master’s program, and upon department recommendation, a specific required course may be substituted with an elective chosen in concert with the student’s program director.

For students entering a PhD program with prior graduate work completed in another Loyola program or at another institution, up to one-half of the total number of semester hours required by the doctoral program at Loyola may be applied toward the PhD degree. It may be possible for a completed relevant master’s degree to be applied towards the PhD, and this is further elaborated in the Advanced Standing policy (Approved May 4, 2021).

Withdrawal from the University

An enrolled student who wishes to withdraw from the university during any semester must notify the Dean’s office and his or her graduate program director in writing. A student is considered to be in attendance until such notice has been received by the Dean or the Graduate Program Director. All financial refunds or obligations are dated from the date of the formal notice of withdrawal and not from the date of the last class attended; see the Bursar's website for more information. It is the student's obligation to inform the Graduate School promptly of the intention to withdraw. Telephone messages or non-attendance in class are not official notification.

A student may be required to withdraw from the university because of academic deficiency, lack of sufficient progress toward completion of degree requirements, failure to adhere to university requirements, degree requirements and/or regulations for conduct or failure to meet financial obligations to the university.

Complete Emergency Withdrawal

Students facing a significant emergency circumstance (see “Definitions” section below) that prevents them from continuing in or completing an academic term may submit an Intent to Withdraw form to their program director or the Graduate School. All requests must be supported by appropriate documentation. The Intent to Withdraw form is reviewed by the academic dean’s office of the student’s primary college/school for approval and processing.

Requests for complete emergency term withdrawals are considered after the last day of a term to drop a course or courses without a grade of “W.” In cases where the student is incapacitated (see “Emergencies Resulting in Student Incapacitation” below for more details), the requests for complete emergency term withdrawals may be submitted by a parent, spouse or legal guardian.

Complete emergency term withdrawals constitute a withdrawal from all classes and may result in final grades of “WE” in all classes for the given academic term. The University does not grant partial withdrawals (i.e., requests to withdraw from some classes but not others) for emergencies. Grades of “WE” have no impact on a student’s cumulative GPA. The “WE” grade has no earned or attempted hours associated with the grade; however, “WE” counts towards attempted hours when determining Satisfactory Academic Progress for continued financial aid eligibility. This policy does not apply in cases where the student has completed final exams or final projects for classes in the term impacted by the significant emergency circumstance. When final grades have posted, students should utilize the Appeal for Change of Academic Record form and submit to their primary academic advisor, program director or assistant/associate Dean.

The Office of the Bursar will determine the impact of the Withdrawal on the students account balance in LOCUS. The Student Account Balance will be determined by the University withdrawal calendar Loyola Withdrawal Schedule. The Bursar will not assess any late payment fees after the date of Withdrawal.

EMERGENCIES RESULTING IN STUDENT INCAPACITATION

It is required that a complete emergency term withdrawal request be submitted by the student. However, if an emergency situation has resulted in the student’s temporary or long-term incapacitation for a period that may extend beyond the one-calendar-year deadline of this policy, the student’s college/school academic dean’s office, the Office of the Dean of Students, a parent (for minors), emergency contact person, or other legally assigned designee may submit a request on the student’s behalf. In such cases, the student’s college/school academic dean’s office may require additional documentation (e.g., letter from medical doctor, hospitalization forms, power of attorney).

POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS

The section below provides a non-exhaustive list and general information on the potential implications of a complete emergency term withdrawal. While the University offers a number of considerations that help support students who are facing emergencies, there are other important factors that should be taken into consideration before submitting a request for a complete emergency term withdrawal. Whenever possible, it is strongly recommended that a student discuss all possible options, including the potential implications of a complete emergency withdrawal with their primary academic advisor.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID

Students are strongly encouraged to purchase tuition insurance (e.g., A.W.G Dewar, Inc.) prior to the start of the academic term.

Note that a complete emergency withdrawal does not automatically result in tuition credit. Please refer to the withdrawal schedule on the Office of the Bursar’s website.

COMPLETE EMERGENCY WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURES DURING AN ACADEMIC TERM

Although it is recommended that the student submit as much information as possible, documentation does not need to specify details of the emergency that may be protected by law or considered private. Documentation must come from a verifiable authority (e.g., community/licensed healthcare provider, police agency, court of law, US military etc.) and minimally confirm the following:

Requests for a complete emergency withdrawal will be reviewed and decided by the student’s college/school academic dean’s office. Other areas, such as the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office for Equity & Compliance, or Student Accessibility Center, may be consulted in cases where the student was either referred or is being supported by said office. Additional documentation and/or information may be requested of the student before a final decision is made.

The student will receive a written decision notification no later than 14 business days after receipt of original request via LUC email. If the school is unable to meet the 14 business-days deadline, the student will be notified in writing of the new deadline. If the request is approved, the effective date and further instructions before returning to campus (if necessary) will be provided. The date of the complete emergency withdrawal will be determined by the primary college/school dean’s office based on the date of the last academically related activity.

POST-EMERGENCY COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL RE-ENTRY PROCESS

Unless otherwise indicated in the approval notification or by the Office of the Dean of Students in lieu of the Loyola University Chicago Behavior Concerns Team (BCT), the process for returning to the university will follow standard policies and procedures for re-enrollment. Students who were being supported by BCT before withdrawing or are returning because of a mental health hospitalization are required to consult the Office of the Dean of Students for instructions on potential re-entry requirements.

DEFINITIONS

Significant Emergency Circumstance – an unforeseen emergency situation that prevents a student from continuing in or completing an academic term. Some examples include but are not limited to:

• Chronic illness of withdrawing student
• Death of parent/legal guardian or medical issue of a family member and the withdrawing student must become a part-time or full-time caretaker of family member
• Extreme financial hardship
• Mental health condition, serious injury or illness of withdrawing student
• Sudden or consistent lack of transportation which affected the withdrawing student’s ability to meet in-person attendance requirements
• Other situations, at the University’s sole discretion, which are deemed to result in significant hardship to the withdrawing student

This list includes examples of emergency situations that directly affect the student.