/Institutions/St-Jude-Graduate-School-of-Biomedical-Sciences/json/current/Academic-Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/St-Jude-Graduate-School-of-Biomedical-Sciences/json/current/Academic-Catalog.json

Satisfactory Academic Progress

1.1 Students are required to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward degree completion. Academic progress is measured at the end of each academic semester. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to graduate. Specific milestones required to comply with SAP for each program are described below. Overall performance will be assessed by the Assistant Dean or Associate Dean of each respective program and if a student fails to comply with SAP, a report of the findings will be discussed with the student and placed in the student’s file.

1.2 Letter grades are associated with numeric values as follows, which are the same across all degree programs:

A+ (4.0), A (4.0), A- (3.7), B+ (3.3), B (3.0), B- (2.7), C+ (2.3), C (2.0), C- (1.7), D+ (1.3), D (1.0), D- (0.7), and F (0.0). 

1.2.1 Students may also receive the following marks: Pass/Fail, S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory), W (Withdrawal), WP (Withdraw Passing), WF (Withdraw Failing), TR (Transfer Credit), EC (Experiential Credit), I (Incomplete), O (No Grade Reported).

1.2.2 Only letter grades A+ through C as well as Pass and Satisfactory marks will count toward the degree requirements. Please see the Grades and Grading Policy for rules regarding retaking a course.

PROCEDURE

 

2.1 Academic Sanctions

2.1.1 Failure to meet SAP requirements will result in an academic sanction. These include Academic Warning, Academic Probation or Academic Dismissal. 

2.1.2 Academic Warning: The academic warning sanction alerts the student and the Graduate School of the student’s need for academic improvement. Measures of poor performance include excessive absences, failure to participate in mandatory workshops and seminars, or hold committee meetings.   These issues will be reviewed by the Associate Dean of the respective program. The student will receive notification of failure to meet minimum standards of performance and/or engagement and must meet with the Assistant or Associate Dean to discuss and determine next steps.   

2.1.3 Academic Probation: Students who fall below an average GPA of 3.0 are placed on academic probation for one semester.  The student will receive notification from the Registrar regarding their probation status.  If the student raises their GPA to the required minimum standard of 3.0 during that semester, then they will be released from probation. Intervention Measures are initiated as soon as low grades are noted in a single course to prevent probation, and continue during probation to assist students in raising their GPA:

• Regular check-in meeting with the Assistant/Associate Dean of their respective program.
• A plan for corrective action will be devised.

• The student advisor will maintain status updates on the Corrective Action Plan.

2.1.4 Academic Dismissal: A student may be dismissed from the Graduate School for a number of academic reasons, including but not limited to: failure to pass the Candidacy Qualifying Examination; failure to identify a thesis/dissertation advisor; consistently poor performance as evidenced by grades, work-in-progress reports, and failure to attend required core courses, journal clubs, and laboratory meetings.

2.1.4.1 If a student on academic probation does not raise their GPA to 3.0 by the end of the first semester of probation, the student will be dismissed from the Graduate School. The Associate Dean of the respective program with approval of the Dean may decide to allow the continuation of probation for one semester in exceptional circumstances. During the probation period, the student will be given the option to withdraw before facing academic dismissal. If at the end of the second semester of probation the grade point average is still below 3.0, the student will be dismissed from the Graduate School.

2.1.4.2 The Associate Dean shall provide a time-stamped and dated copy of the formal student dismissal request to the instructor(s) and the advisor. The Associate Dean will then request input and/or response from the instructor(s) and the advisor. The Associate Dean may convene an ad hoc special review committee to advise on any dismissal. Dismissal from the Graduate School requires approval by the Dean.  The Graduate School will offer coaching to aid in the decision and assist the student in determining next steps.

2.2 Appeal an Academic Dismissal

2.2.1 Students may appeal an academic dismissal by submitting an appeal to the Dean in writing within ten calendar days of the decision. The appeal should contain the student’s plan for returning to good standing, any unusual or extenuating circumstances that prevented the student from being successful, and other information that the student would like the Dean to consider. The Dean shall review all documentation and respond in writing to the student within thirty calendar days of receiving the formal dismissal appeal. The decision of the Dean is the final decision. The Registrar retains all dismissal appeal records permanently.

2.3 Readmission

2.3.1 A student who has been dismissed from the Graduate School will not be readmitted under any conditions.