GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION M.ED., ED.S. AND ED.D. ACADEMIC POLICIES

For M.A. and Ph.D. policies, click here.

Academic Advising

A member of the faculty will be assigned as academic advisor to each student accepted for a graduate degree. Students may retain the same faculty advisor throughout their programs or they may select a different faculty member to serve as their dissertation director. Students are expected to confer with their advisors as often as may be necessary. It is the student's  responsibility to seek conferences with the advisors, to secure supervision of the dissertation, and to keep the dissertation director informed of progress in the research and writing. It is important that students confer with their advisors prior to initial registration.  Most programs in the School of Education also provide email groups and electronic advisory newsletters. Each student is responsible for participation in those services provided within his or her program.

Academic Grievance Procedures¹

In instances where a student has concerns about an academic process, students are strongly encouraged to meet and hold informal discussions with the faculty member; such discussions can be effective in resolving problems encountered in the academic process. If the discussion between the student and faculty member does not resolve the problem(s), the faculty member(s) and student should (a) document measures proposed and/or taken to attempt to resolve the problem, and (b) contact the corresponding program chair to initiate the Informal Process. In cases where a faculty member has concerns regarding the performance of dispositions of students, program-specific procedures regarding academic review or dispositions should be followed.

Informal Process

The Informal Process is initiated in the event the above referenced documented meeting between the student and faculty member does not resolve the problem. To begin the process, the corresponding program chair should initiate a meeting with all involved parties to review the program’s policies regarding the issue in dispute. At this meeting, attempts to resolve the problem at the program level are documented using the Informal Process Form. In the event of a grievance, this form will be submitted to the School of Education Grievance Committee to document attempts to resolve the issue at the program level.

Formal Process

In cases where direct discussions and Informal Process have failed to resolve the problem(s) from the student’s perspective, he or she may file a formal grievance using of the School of Education's Grievance Procedure.1 The following procedure governs specifically academic matters such as ethical questions as well as those of scholarly competence. Thus, controversies arising from charges of, e.g., cheating in examinations, falsification of research data, plagiarism, evaluation of students, failure of the institution to recommend certification, and dismissal from programs are included within the meaning of "academic matters" that are “grievable” under these procedures.

With regard to the evaluation of students, the academic grievance procedures apply 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, a result of improper procedures, or improperly discriminatory. 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. In the event a student is disputing the application of a policy or decision as improper, the student must cite the specific criteria upon which he or she believes the decision properly should have been based.²

Steps in Filing a Grievance Petition with the Associate Dean of Academic Services

1. If the student is unable to achieve a satisfactory solution to the problem at the informal level and wishes to formally grieve the matter, the student must submit a written request within 30 days of the documented program meeting by filing a Statement of Grievance Form, with the Associate Dean of Student Academic Services (ADSAS.) The request for a hearing must specify the nature of the dispute and include the student’s copies of the documented attempts to resolve the matter (including the Informal Process Form) Specifically, a student who believes that he or she has valid grounds for a grievance under these procedures should submit a written and signed statement of grievance (Statement of Grievance Form), setting forth the specific allegations, including time line of events with dates, persons involved and outcome, relevant university policies, and desired outcome of the grievance. If any other University personnel are involved, the student will include the role of these parties in the student’s grievance, unless such disclosure would violate the student’s right to confidentiality.  Should the student need assistance in putting the grievance into an appropriate format, the student may seek the assistance of the ADSAS, who will provide assistance regarding format and procedures, but who may not comment substantively on the merits of the grievance.
2. The ADSAS will refer the dispute to the School of Education Grievance Committee (SEGC), which is a standing committee of the Academic Council and consists of three faculty members from the School of Education, other than the ADSAS. If any of the three faculty members comprising the committee are involved in the dispute, replacement committee members will be appointed from the School of Education at the recommendation of the Dean.
3. The Chairperson of the Grievance Committee will establish a time and date for the hearing and notify the student and faculty involved, along with the other members of the Committee.
4. An effort will be made to schedule the hearing within 30 days of the receipt by the SEGC Chairperson of the materials filed by the student in support of the formal grievance.
5. The SEGC may request information from other sources as needed.
6. Upon receipt of the formal grievance, the Chairperson of the SEGC shall give those faculty member(s) relevant to the grievance and the program director a copy of the student’s grievance documents.

Conduct of the Hearing

The hearing will be private and all persons present at the hearing will consider and treat all information presented to be confidential. If, however, the student disseminates information disclosed during the hearing, the student's interest in the confidentiality of the hearing will be deemed waived. Both the student and the faculty member involved may request assistance in presenting their case at the hearing by any person other than an attorney. The student and faculty member(s) must inform the Chairperson of the SEGC of the name(s) of their representative and any witnesses five working days before the hearing date. Prior to the hearing, copies of all written information to be considered by the SEGC shall be provided to all parties and will include:

• An explanation of committee procedure;
• An exchange of all documentation developed prior to the hearing that was not previously released and a list of student and faculty representatives (if any) and the names of witnesses for both the student and faculty member(s);
• Any University rules and policies relevant to the content of the grievance

At the hearing, the SEGC shall provide all parties the opportunity to present written and oral information relevant to the grievance. Individuals appearing before the committee have the responsibility of presenting truthful information. The committee in reaching its decision will evaluate the credibility of the witnesses. Presentation of evidence will be made only during the hearing. Any party may present witnesses or other evidence. The conduct of the hearing is informal, and the committee is not bound by rules of evidence or court procedures. Matters of procedure will be decided by the Chairperson of the SEGC. All decisions of the committee will be determined by a majority vote of the SEGC members present. The student and faculty member(s) will be informed in writing of the Committee’s decision within two weeks of the hearing.

A copy of the decision will be forwarded to the Dean of the School of Education who then will subsequently inform the Chairperson of the SEGC and the relevant Program chair(s) of his or her disposition of the decision.

GROUP ACTIONS

Two or more students with substantially the same grievance may join in a group action. A single statement of grievance shall be submitted and processed in the manner described herein for individual grievances, but all those joining in such a group action must sign the statement.

APPEAL PROCESS

The student may appeal the decision of the SEGC in writing to the Dean of the School of Education within 30 days of receiving the SEGC’s decision. The appeal should clearly indicate the alleged errors that occurred in the SEGC hearing. The Dean may approve, modify, or reverse the decision of the SEGC and will notify the student, the faculty members(s), the Chairperson of the SEGC, and the relevant Program chair(s) of her/his decision within two weeks of receiving the appeal, if practicable. The decision of the Dean is final in all cases.

WITHDRAWAL OF GRIEVANCE

A grievant may withdraw his or her grievance from further consideration at any time by submitting a written request to the ADSAS who will inform the Chairperson of the SEGC. No reason needs to be given for such a request to withdraw.

¹

These procedures are intended for use in the management of controversies in academic matters involving students in the School of Education, i.e. those in undergraduate Education minors and B.S.Ed. programs, M.Ed., Ed.S., and Ed.D. programs. Students in Ph.D. or M.A. programs should consult the grievance procedure in use at The Graduate School.

²

Controversies arising from clearly non-academic matters fall within the jurisdiction of the Division of Student Affairs. Such cases may include: allegations of discriminatory treatment arising from the student complainant’s age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or religion. In cases in which jurisdiction is unclear or mixed, the Dean of the School of Education, in consultation with the Vice President for Student Affairs, will determine the correct jurisdiction.

Academic Integrity

In general, a violation of academic integrity occurs when the nature or source of academic work is misrepresented. This occurs in incidents such as, but not limited to, claiming work as one's own when it is not (e.g., plagiarism and cheating on tests) and/or falsifying data. It’s the responsibility of the student to review the full policy.

Academic Standing

Good Standing

A degree-seeking student is in good academic standing if he or she:

1. meets the standards of quality of his or her academic program and the School of Education;
2. makes satisfactory progress toward completion of degree requirements within the established time limit;
3. fulfills the School of Education’s requirement regarding continuous registration; and
4. fulfills the School of Education’s requirement regarding grade-point average.

Students who are not in good academic standing are not eligible to receive a degree and may not hold a merit award.

Continuous Enrollment

Students are to maintain the status of continuous enrollment during their program of studies. This means that during each semester of each academic year (excluding Summer Sessions), each student must enroll in a least one course. Once a student has completed all coursework and is still considered a degree-seeking student in good standing in a graduate program, he/she must continue to maintain his/her registration during the regular academic year until all degree requirements are completed. In most instances, this will be accomplished by enrolling in an appropriate internship, practicum course or dissertation supervision.  Registration must be completed on the dates listed in the academic calendar and class schedules for each semester.

Students who do not meet the requirement of continuous registration are considered inactive and not in good academic standing.

To request reinstatement to active status:

1. One to two semesters: email the Associate Dean of Student Academic Services to request re-activation. If enrollment for dissertation supervision was appropriate, back registration must also occur for the terms missed.
2. One to five years: complete a reapplication and a statement justifying request for readmission (for students at the dissertation level, back registration must also occur for the terms missed).
3. Beyond the time limit for degree completion: Full application and a statement justifying request for readmission. Students are reviewed for admission following the standard admission process.
4. If permitted to resume studies, the student must meet the program requirements in effect at the time of readmission. This may include new requirements for the degree, prerequisites, and/or state licensure requirements.

Reinstatements are not automatic, and students whose requests are denied will not be permitted to continue in their programs. Repeated failure to maintain continuous registration is, itself, grounds for denying a request for reinstatement.

Grade Point Average

Graduate students are expected to maintain an average of "B" or better. Not more than two grades of "C" may be counted for a degree. Some programs require students to repeat particular key courses if they receive grades of C in such courses. No grades of "D" or "F" may be counted as fulfilling degree requirements (such grades, however, will be calculated into the grade point average). No student will be graduated with less than a 3.0 average for all graduate and undergraduate courses taken as part of the degree program.

All students are subject to annual review of progress. Students who earn more than two grades of "C" or show other aspects of insufficient progress may be subject to withdrawal from the program. Students who fail to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA will be placed on academic probation. If the GPA is not raised to a 3.0 during the next two consecutive terms in which the student registers, the student will be dismissed for poor scholarship. If a student is dropped from degree candidacy, he or she may be readmitted only under exceptional circumstances.

Dismissal from the Graduate School of Education

1. Failure to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better. Students whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 are considered to be on academic probation. Students may continue on academic probation for no more than two semesters, in which enrolled (the summer sessions are considered in this instance as a single semester); failure to raise, within that period of time, the cumulative grade point average to 3.0 or better results in dismissal from graduate study. Academic Dishonesty. In general, academic dishonesty occurs when the nature or source of academic work is misrepresented. This occurs in incidents such as, but not limited to, claiming work as one's own when it is not (e.g., plagiarism and cheating on tests) and/or falsifying data. For incidents of academic dishonesty occurring in a course, the professor may assign a grade of "F"; the standard grievance procedures are (see Academic Grievance Procedure) available to students in these instances.
2. Failure to pass the required comprehensive examinations. Students pursuing the M.Ed. will, as a matter of course, be allowed two attempts at passing the comprehensive examination. If they fail the second examination, a third examination will be permitted only after completion of four additional courses. Failure to pass the examination after three attempts will result in no M.Ed. degree being conferred. Students pursuing the Ed.D. will be allowed a second attempt at the examination only if the student's advisor and program chair so recommend.
3. Failure to successfully sustain annual progress evaluations. The performance of each student is reviewed annually by his or her program faculty. Students may be terminated from their programs if found substantially deficient in their knowledge, skills, or dispositions for the field. If a student is dropped from degree candidacy, he or she may be readmitted only under exceptional circumstances.
4. Failure to pass 610 – Doctoral Studies.  a) If a candidate receives a NP in two consecutive semesters, the Graduate Program Chair will recommend to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs that the student be dismissed from the program;  b) If a candidate receives three NPs during their enrollment in 610 and 600, the Graduate Program Chair will recommend to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs that the student be dismissed from the program.
5. Failure to pass 600 – Dissertation Supervision.  a) Candidates are expected to make adequate progress each semester. If a candidate receives two consecutive NPs, the Graduate Program Chair will recommend to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs that the student be dismissed from the program;  b) If a candidate receives three NPs during their enrollment in 610 and 600, the Graduate Program Chair will recommend to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs that the student be dismissed from the program.
6. Students dismissed for any of the above reasons may appeal, in writing, to the Dean of the School of Education, within two weeks (14 calendar days) of the date of letter/email notification of academic dismissal. The Dean of the School of Education will review the matters pertinent to this appeal and will provide a written decision of the candidate within 30 calendar days of the receipt of the written student request for an appeal. The decision by the Dean of the School of Education is considered final.

Accessibility

Students who have disabilities which they believe entitle them to accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act should register with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD) office. To request accommodations, students must schedule an appointment with an SSWD coordinator. Students should contact SSWD at least four weeks before their first semester or term at Loyola. Returning students should schedule an appointment within the first two weeks of the semester or term. The University policy on accommodations and participation in courses is available at: http://www.luc.edu/sswd/.

Attendance

All graduate students are expected to attend classes and laboratories regularly. Specific regulations are subject to program decision. Certain programs also require attendance at professional seminars and special program meetings. Consult each program for information.

Communication from Academic Deans

Official notices are presented to students through the deans’ office, Loyola emails, and LOYOLA FOCUS for Graduate Students. Students are individually responsible for this information and should check their e-mail regularly. For reasons of confidentiality, as well as efficiency, communications to students will be sent to students’ Loyola email accounts and not to any other email address. Students are responsible for checking this account and/or setting up a forwarding system. The Dean’s Office may refuse to provide confidential information using a non-Loyola email account.

Comprehensive Assessments

Most programs require the completion of written and/or oral examinations, portfolios or final projects to assess the student's knowledge of the field and at the doctoral level to determine competency to undertake independent research. The comprehensive assessment, if required, is to be completed successfully before the student prepares a dissertation proposal for review by her or his committee.

Failure to pass the required comprehensive assessment

Students pursuing the M.Ed. will, as a matter of course, be allowed two attempts at passing the comprehensive assessment. If they fail the second assessment, a third attempt will be permitted only after completion of four additional courses. Failure to pass the assessment after three attempts will result in no M.Ed. degree being conferred. Students pursuing the Ed.D will be allowed a second attempt at the major assessment only if the student’s advisor and program chair so recommend. Students who are dismissed for failing the major assessment twice may appeal in writing to the dean of the School of Education whose judgment is final.

Course Unit

Unless otherwise specified, graduate courses normally provide three semester hours of credit. Each semester hour implies a lecture period of at least fifty minutes or a laboratory period of at least one hundred minutes a week.

Degree Conferral (Graduation)

While the commencement ceremony is every May, degrees can be conferred May, August, and December. Students must apply for graduation/degree conferral. Students should apply for graduation in the semester they anticipate completing all degree requirements. Failure to meet application deadlines may result in a delay of the conferral of the degree to the following semester.

Applications for Degree Conferral are due:

• December Degree Conferral – August 1
• May Degree Conferral – December 1
• August Degree Conferral – February 1

Dissertation

It is the student’s responsibility to become familiar and adhere to the dissertation policies and procedures found on the SOE Student Community Site under “Forms”. The student-managed submission of dissertations gives the student control over the process of preparing and submitting the dissertation. The process contains four parts. Please read the directions carefully. Do not submit the material for any part listed in the directions until it is accurate and complete; if the material is inaccurate or incomplete, the School of Education will not accept it.

Doctoral Candidacy

The requirements for doctoral candidacy are:

1. successful completion of all specifically required coursework;
2. successful completion of all comprehensive examinations;
3. approval of the dissertation proposal by the approved dissertation committee and the Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Electronic Communication Policies

The School of Education faculty, students and staff respect each other’s rights, privacy and access to electronic resources, services, and communications while in the pursuit of academic and professional growth, networking and research. All members of the university community are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, communication, and responsibility while accessing and utilizing technology, information resources, and computing facilities.

• In-Person and Cyberbullying Policy
• University Policies for Information Technology Services

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;
2. enrolled in Dissertation Supervision (#600), Doctoral Study (#610), 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 if they are enrolled in at least four but less than eight credit hours of coursework.

Summer Sessions

Students are considered full-time if they are either:

1. enrolled in at least six credit hours of coursework;
2. 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 (as defined above)

Full- and part-time status is 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.

Number of Courses Allowed

Typically, full-time graduate students take a maximum of nine semester hours in each regular semester session, and six semester hours in the summer sessions. Specific programs may exceed the maximum hours.

Grades

The grades in the School of Education are as follows unless otherwise indicated in a course syllabus:

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	0.0
I	Incomplete
W	Withdrawal
P/NP	Pass/No Pass
CR	Credit
AU	Audit
NR	No Credit

The notation of NR is assigned in instances where the student is registered at Loyola by never attended the course in question and never complete any work for the course.

Incomplete Grades

Students enrolled in courses offered by the School of Education are to complete all coursework by the end of the term in which the course is offered. 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.

For Incompletes assigned in Fall 2014 and later, 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 Incomplete grade will automatically become an F. The instructor 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 incomplete grade. The student must submit the Graduate Student Request for an Incomplete form to the instructor of the class before the last day of the term for consideration and possible approval.

Withdrawal from Courses

Students may withdraw from courses on LOCUS with the grade of “W” until the University posted deadline. Students who withdraw after the deadline are assigned the grade of “WF”.

Pass/No Pass

Used for Doctoral Study (610), Dissertation Supervision (600), and those courses for which no semester hours ordinarily are awarded. The grade Pass (P) may be assigned for these courses. In cases where, in the judgment of the adviser, substantial progress has not been made, a grade of No Pass (NP) may be assigned.

Audit

Arrangements to audit a course must be made during registration periods. Tuition is charged for audited classes. Class attendance is required; if a student does not attend class, a final grade of "W" will be recorded. Assignments, including examinations and term papers, are not required, but the student has a right to participate in class discussions. Because a course which is audited does not count as hours attempted, it is not considered in determining a student's academic full-time or part-time status; however, tuition is charged at the full rate. After late and change of registration, students must have the course instructor's approval to convert a course from “credit” to “audit.” After midterm, the student must have the approval of the dean as well as the instructor to convert a course from "credit" to "audit." Prior to the term starting, students must submit a “Request to Audit a Class”.

Graduate Credit

Graduate students may receive credit from:

1. Courses numbered 400-600.
2. Certain courses in the 300 group. Program approval is required for the inclusion of such courses in the graduate program. No more than three such courses will ordinarily be accepted for the master’s degree, no more than six for the doctoral degree, but programs may accept fewer. Students may not apply the same course to fulfill requirements for both undergraduate and graduate degrees, or for both professional and graduate degrees, or for two undergraduate or graduate degrees. However, transfer credit may be recommended by the appropriate program, subject to the approval of the Associate Dean of Student Academic Services.

Harassment (Bias Reporting)

It is unacceptable and a violation of university policy to harass, discriminate against or abuse any person because of his or her race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Such behavior threatens to destroy the environment of tolerance and mutual respect that must prevail for this university to fulfill its educational and health care mission. For this reason, every incident of harassment, discrimination or abuse undermines the aspirations and attacks the ideals of our community. The university qualifies these incidents as incidents of bias.

In order to uphold our mission of being Chicago's Jesuit Catholic University - a diverse community seeking God in all things and working to expand knowledge in the service of humanity through learning, justice and faith, any incident(s) of bias must be reported and appropriately addressed. Therefore, the Bias Response (BR) Team was created to assist members of the Loyola University Chicago community in bringing incidents of bias to the attention of the university. If you believe you are subject to such bias, you should notify the Bias Response Team at this link.

Responsible Conduct in Research & Scholarship

For more information on Responsible Conduct in Research & Scholarship visit their website.

Time-Limit for Degree Completion

M.Ed. students must complete their program within five years. The period may be extended by special permission of the Associate Dean of Student Academic Services. Students should ask their advisor to submit the form for extension of time.

Ed.D. students have a maximum of seven years to complete the degree. Each program area specifies ways in which residency requirements are satisfied. If students are unable to work on the degree for a period of more than one semester, they should request an official leave from the program. Furthermore, if students need more time to complete the degree, they must file an extension of time. Upon recommendation of the program chair, the Associate Dean of Student Academic Services will grant a leave of absence or extension of program time. However, more than one extension of program time will be granted only under extraordinary circumstance.

Extension of Time

An extension of time to complete the degree requires approval of the Program Chair, Dissertation Director (if appropriate) and the Associate Dean for Student Academic Services. Time extensions are typically restricted to one year.

Leave 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). A leave of absence postpones all deadlines concerning completion of degree requirements for the duration of the leave of absence. A student requesting a leave of absence is to complete a Leave of Absence form and contact the program’s graduate program chair.

Transcripts and Records

Students request official transcripts of records through the Office of Registration and Records. Transcripts will be issued only after the student has met all financial obligations to the university. Transcripts will include the record of work completed at Loyola University only and the amount of advanced standing, if any, allowed toward the graduate degree from institutions previously attended.

The Office of Registration and Records also handles verification of directory information including dates of attendance, attendance full-time or part-time, degree earned, the date a degree was conferred and major field of study. It is your right to deem this information strictly confidential. If you do not want the information released, notify the Office of Registration and Records. Students may use LOCUS, the online service of the Office of Registration and Records to:

• Add and drop classes
• Get information about classes
• See or print your class schedule
• Get your grades
• Confirm or change your permanent or local addresses
• Check out your financial aid award package(s)
• View or print your (unofficial) transcript
• Access your account balance

The School of Education respects the confidentiality of student records and adheres to the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. See the office of the School of Education dean for details concerning access to student records.

University Code of Conduct

All members of Loyola University Chicago are expected to uphold Community Standards (LUC’s Student Code of Conduct). Students are expected to abide by all university policies which include, but are not limited to, the policies outlined in the Community Standards. This document provides a baseline for acceptable student conduct.

Rights Reserved: Loyola University Chicago reserves the right to change the policies and procedures announced in this document, and to change the schedules, fees charged, and regulations affecting students. It the responsibility of each student to acquire an active knowledge of all policies and procedures set forth in this document.

Withdrawal from the University

An enrolled student who wishes to withdraw from the university during any semester must notify his or her graduate program chair in writing (email is sufficient). A student is considered to be in attendance until such notice has been received by the Program Chair. Financial obligations regarding withdrawals are based on university policies.

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.