Course Information - Graduate

Courses listed in this catalog are subject to change through normal academic procedures. New programs/courses and changes in existing course work are initiated by departments or individual programs and approved by the appropriate academic dean, the Graduate Curriculum Committee, and the Faculty Senate. Additions to the curriculum for the ensuing years are published in the official Graduate Curriculum Committee minutes by Faculty Senate and are on file with the Office of Records and Registration. 

Many course descriptions list the semester/year during which a course is normally offered. This serves as a guide; however, actual offerings may vary depending on staffing levels and enrollment demands.

Graduate course grade policy

To successfully complete a course at the graduate level, a grade of "C" (or better) or "P" must be earned. No graduate credit will be applicable to a degree for courses completed with grades below "C."

Graduate course repeat policy

A graduate student can repeat up to two courses once in which a grade of "C" or lower was earned and with the permission of the program director. The new grade will replace the original grade in the GPA calculation. Both grades will appear on the academic record.

Repeatable for credit graduate courses

A course marked "repeatable for credit" may be repeated for credit only once unless otherwise specified. See the graduate course repeat policy for information on repeating a course to improve one's grade.

Cross-listed courses

A course offered by more than one department that has the same course description, credits, and title but different prefixes (e.g., ECO/THA 376; BIO/MIC 714) is a cross-listed course. Students may earn credit only once for taking a cross-listed course.

Graduate course numbering policy

Many courses in the 500 series are "slash" courses; they are graduate courses with a companion number in the 400 series and are open to upper level undergraduates who have earned at least 60 credits and graduate students. Students may not earn credit in a slash course at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. All courses with numbers in the 600, 700, 800, or 900 series are for graduate students only.

Students in all graduate degree programs must earn at least one-half of the minimum number of semester credits required in their program in graduate-only level courses.

Course prerequisites

Course prerequisites, listed in the course description, indicate the academic preparation required for successful completion of the course. Occasionally students may have sufficient knowledge to enter courses without the formal prerequisites. In these circumstances, students may ask instructors for consent to enroll; all instructors retain the right to admit any student to their classes, subject to departmental policy. Students who do not meet the stated prerequisite(s) or the required class standing must obtain permission to enroll in a class. Students will not receive credit for courses for which they do not have the appropriate class standing, specified prerequisites, or permission to override the requirements.

Course modes of instruction

  1. Face-to-Face (F2F) or In-Person or On Campus: Course in which content delivery, course activities, and assessments take place in a physical classroom.
  2. Hybrid/Blended: Course in which content delivery, course activities, and assessments take place in a physical classroom and online. This combination of online and in-person elements is based on meaningful learning strategies that best serve an instructor’s pedagogical goals and objectives. This classification signals to students that there is an expectation of both physical presence and online learning in the instructor's design of the course. While a percentage is not mandated, hybrid courses are traditionally 30% to 50% of seat time replaced with online components. Hybrid courses include a class note available to students at registration, which indicates anticipated in-person and online class time.
  3. Online courses (fully) - students do not meet in person at a physical site. All content and course activities take place online. 
    1. Synchronous - some or all of the elements of the class occur in real time. Elements can be required (e.g., a lecture or exam) or optional (e.g., office hours or discussion times). The course should be listed as online in the timetable and a meeting date/time should be noted.
    2. Asynchronous - although there are deadlines for students by which they need to complete work, there are no requirements for a specific date/time when the student must be available.
  4. Independent Study - individual reading or research under the guidance of a faculty member.

Curriculum requirements

Specific course requirements (curriculum) for the various programs are included with each individual program's description, under the graduate degrees & program requirements section in the catalog. Additional university requirements for a graduate degree are included in the university's graduate degree requirements policy.

Graduate Curriculum Committee

The Graduate Curriculum Committee (GCC) is the curriculum review faculty body for all academic programs at the graduate level. Membership of this committee consists of nine graduate faculty, four graduate students, and one representative from or affiliated with the School of Education. The Provost/Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Dean of Graduate & Extended Learning, Director of the Library, and academic deans, or their designees, serve as administrative consultants. The committee shall elect its chairperson and recorder. The chairperson will also serve as a voting member of the Graduate Council.

A full copy of the GCC bylaws is on the Faculty Senate's articles and bylaws.