Academic Policies

Registration

The Office of the Registrar is the central administrative office responsible for registering students, maintaining the permanent academic records, administering the Regents’ Testing Program Policies and test registration, performing degree audits, enforcing the academic policies of the university and generally ensuring that students’ academic issues are dealt with accurately and professionally. In addition, the Registrar’s staff handles transfer evaluations and Veterans’ Affairs. Requests for data from the computerized student record system are approved by this office.

All registration at KSU is conducted over the web through Owl Express. There are two phases of registration at KSU:

• Early Registration: available to students who are currently enrolled and in good standing. These students are strongly encouraged to register within the Early Registration phase.
• Registration: available to new, readmitted, and all currently enrolled students.

A Drop/Add session is offered to all students eligible to enroll for the given semester. A Late Registration Fee of $100 is assessed to students registering during the Drop/Add period who have not previously registered for the semester. After each registration phase, fees must be paid to avoid cancellation of classes. Please refer to the Schedule of Classes located on the Registrar’s website at www.kennesaw.edu/registrar for specific instructions and dates. Undeclared majors must be advised by Student Success Services. Students who have been dismissed must remain out of school as indicated by the dismissal policy.

NOTE: See the academic calendar, which lists specific registration dates, at www.kennesaw.edu/registrar, or the Schedule of Courses.

Verification of Class Schedule

Students should verify their class schedule for each semester enrolled. No course additions/deletions are permitted after the Drop/Add period has ended. It is the student’s responsibility to verify their class schedule (including credit hours) on Owl Express for accuracy.

Graduate Course Auditing Policy

Auditing of courses will be permitted for regularly enrolled graduate students, as well as on a space-available basis for those who hold a graduate degree from Kennesaw State. Auditing of courses is not allowed in the Coles Doctor of Business Administration, the Coles Executive MBA, the Master of Science in Conflict Management (MSCM), the Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS), or any of KSU’s Master of Education (M.Ed.) programs. Students must have completed all prerequisites necessary for the course to be audited and are expected to complete all course requirements as noted on the course syllabus. A student may audit no more than 6 credit hours of graduate course work in a given term.

The permission to audit form, available in the Office of the Registrar, must be submitted before the end of final registration. The form must be signed by the Graduate Program Director of the program offering the course to be audited. Audited courses count at full value in computing the student’s course and fees load. The student’s name will appear on the official class rolls of the courses audited, as well as the student’s approved schedule of courses. No credit is granted for audited courses, and students are not permitted to change to or from an auditing status except through the regular procedures for schedule changes.

The grade for auditing is “V” (visitor), and this grade will at no time be changed to a “W” on the basis of the auditor’s attendance in the course. The grade of “V” will have no effect upon the student’s grade-point average, and students will not be permitted to have the audit grade changed at any future date. Audited courses will not count toward degree completion for any of KSU’s graduate programs.

Full-Time Load

The basic unit of all college classes is the “semester credit hour.” The full-time load for a graduate student is 9 semester hours.

Candidacy

The minimum requirements for admission to candidacy in any degree program shall be the successful completion of 9 semester hours of graduate credit in a degree program at KSU with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 and a grade of “C” or better in each course presented for candidacy. Individual degree programs may establish additional requirements for candidacy (e.g., interview or examination).

Residency Requirement

To receive a graduate degree from Kennesaw State University, a student must complete at least 27 semester hours of program requirements at KSU. All of these 27 hours must be completed after the student has been admitted to the degree program. Students in the MAcc or WebMBA must complete 24 hours.

Time Limit

All requirements for a master’s degree must be completed within six years, beginning with the first registration in graduate-level classes following admission to the degree program. Extension of time may be granted only on conditions beyond the student’s control. Only courses in which credit has been earned within six years of the date of graduation will be counted for degree credit.

Transfer Credit

Graduate work taken at other Commission of Colleges (COC) regionally accredited institutions must be evaluated and approved by the program director and/or graduate committee of the respective program in order to satisfy degree requirements at KSU. Such transfer credit cannot be for courses over five years old and must satisfy the six-year rule above to count towards degree credit; cannot exceed 9 semester hours (6 semester hours for the MAcc and the WebMBA), and cannot reduce residency requirements. No grade below B may be accepted. Transfer grades are not used in calculating semester, summer term, or cumulative grade-point averages. Individual degree programs may have additional specific requirements or limitations for transfer credit.

Refer to the program descriptions in this catalog for additional information.

Transfer credit is not permissible for any part of the Coles Doctor of Business Administration, Coles Executive MBA, or the Master of Science in Conflict Management programs.

Cross Registration—Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education (ARCHE)

Kennesaw State University is a member of the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education, an association of colleges and universities in the Atlanta area offering a combination of reciprocal academic services, such as cross registration, interlibrary loans and visiting scholars program.

The cross registration program is available to students officially enrolled in Atlanta Regional Consortium Institutions. This program is distinct from transient status in that it is possible for a student to register for an approved course at any of the 21 consortium schools and receive credit, while paying tuition costs to the home institution. The intent is to allow qualified students to take course work in their area of study that is not available on their own campus.

To be eligible to participate, the student must be in good standing and must have the recommendation of the faculty adviser or department chair at the home institution. Cross registration may be pursued only for courses not offered at the home institution for the given term and is not recommended for students in their last semester before graduation. KSU students must be enrolled for at least one semester hour at KSU in order to cross register. A complete list of the requirements for eligibility and registration procedures are located on the ARCHE Registration form.

Students who wish to enroll in courses at member institutions of the Atlanta Regional Consortium should obtain a Cross-Registration form from the cross registration coordinator in the Office of the Registrar. Check with the coordinator for individual member college cross registration deadlines: Fall Semester – July 26th , Spring Semester – December 1, Summer Semester – May 1.

Member Colleges

Agnes Scott College
Atlanta College of Art
Brenau University
Clark Atlanta University
Clayton College & State University
Columbia Theological Seminary
Emory University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia State University
Institute of Paper Science and Technology
Interdenominational Theological Center
Kennesaw State University
Mercer University of Atlanta
Morehouse College
Morehouse School of Medicine
Morris Brown College
Oglethorpe University
Southern Polytechnic State University
Spelman College
State University of West Georgia
University of Georgia

Course Load

Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 9 semester hours. Graduate students in good standing may enroll for 12 semester hours in any semester. In order to enroll for more than 12 semester hours, students must obtain approval from their graduate program director.

Course Repetitions

Graduate students may repeat for credit no more than two graduate courses, one time each. Only courses in which students previously earned a grade below “B” may be retaken for credit.

All grades received for work attempted at KSU are calculated in the cumulative grade point average. Grades for repeated courses are considered as work attempted and do not replace grades already received. Individual degree programs may establish more stringent requirements. Students enrolled in KSU’s executive programs (Coles Executive MBA, and MSCM) may not repeat courses for credit toward a degree.

Withdrawal from Courses

Students may withdraw from one or more courses any time before the last three weeks of the semester. To completely or partially withdraw from classes at KSU, a student must withdraw online at www.kennesaw.edu, under Owl Express, Registration and Student Records. Students who officially withdraw from courses before mid-semester will receive a “W” in those courses and receive no credit. They will not, however, suffer any academic penalty. Students who officially withdraw after mid-semester (and before the last three weeks of the semester) will receive a “WF,” which will be counted as an “F” in the calculation of their grade point average. Exact withdrawal dates will be published in the official academic calendar and are subject to approval by the Board of Regents. Students who simply stop attending classes without officially withdrawing usually are assigned failing grades.

The only exceptions to these withdrawal regulations will be for instances involving unusual circumstances that are fully documented.

Students will receive refunds only when they withdraw from all their classes and only by the schedule outlined in the University System refund policy.

IP (In Progress) Grade

In most graduate courses, the grades “A,” “B,” “C,” “F,” “I” (Incomplete), “W” (Withdrawal), and “WF” (Withdrawal with an “F”) are awarded. In some graduate courses, particularly thesis, dissertation, and project courses that are intended to last more than one semester and are not completed during the semester in which the student is first registered for the course, the notation “IP” (In Progress) is used. A student then has to pay to enroll for a specified number of hours in each consecutive semester in which work is still in progress. While the work is in progress, the instructor will report a grade of “IP” for these credit hours at the end of each term. Thesis, dissertation, and project course credit hours taken during the semester that the work is completed will be awarded a grade of “S” (satisfactory) or “U” (unsatisfactory). Grades of “IP,” “S,” or “U” shall not be computed in the student’s grade-point average.

Grading System

Issuance of grades and formulation of individual attendance policies are the prerogative of the instructor. Faculty must provide feedback to students about their progress prior to the last published day to withdraw without academic penalty. Grades are expected to conform to those listed below. Any deviations must be approved by the Faculty Senate and the Office of the Registrar.

The following are the final grades included in the determination of the scholastic grade point average: 

I: incomplete grade. The grade of “I ” will be awarded only when the student has done satisfactory work up to the last two weeks of the semester, but for nonacademic reasons beyond the student’s control, is unable to meet the full requirements of the course.

The grade of “I ” must be removed by the end of the next semester or term. The grade of “I” will not be included in the calculation of the student ’s scholastic average at the end of the semester in which the grade of “I” is received. Upon completion of the outstanding requirements within the specified time limit, a final grade of “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” will be assigned in the course on the basis of the student ’s total performance, and the grade will then be included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative grade point average. If the outstanding work is not completed by the end of the following semester or term, then the “I ” will be changed to an “F ” and calculated into the student ’s cumulative grade point average. An “I ” cannot be removed by reenrolling in the course.

K: indicates credit awarded for CLEP or Advance Placement (AP) exams.

W: indicates that the student was permitted to withdraw from the course without penalty with the approval of the program director and registrar within the first 28 working days (including registration days) of the semester. Withdrawals without penalty may be permitted after the official withdrawal period in hardship cases only with approval of the registrar. A course in which the grade of ”W’ has been assigned will not be included in calculating the student’s scholastic average.

WF: indicates that the student was permitted to withdraw from a course after the first 28 working days of the semester. The dropping of a course under these circumstances is equivalent to failure and will be included in the calculation
of the student’s scholastic average.

S: indicates that credit has been given for completion of degree requirements other than academic course work. The use of this grade is approved for thesis hours, student teaching, clinical practicum, internship and proficiency requirements in graduate programs.

U: indicates unsatisfactory performance or progress in an attempt to complete degree requirements other than academic course work. The use of this grade is approved for thesis hours, student teaching, clinical practicum, internship and proficiency requirements in graduate programs.

IP: indicates progress in thesis, dissertation, and project courses that are intended to last more than one semester.

V: indicates that the student was given permission to audit the course and is not included in the calculation of the scholastic average. Students may not transfer from audit to credit status or vice versa.

NR: indicates that no grade was reported.

Grade-Point Average

The grade-point average (GPA) is the average grade made by the student on all graduate course work for which he/she has enrolled. It is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of semester hours attempted. Courses carrying “S,” “U,” “W,” or “I” grades are not included.

Grade Appeals

Students’ rights to grade appeals are defined in the university catalog. A key element in the grade appeal procedure is the faculty member’s responsibility to publish a specific grading policy for each of his/her classes. Specifically, the grade appeal procedure states: “Each faculty member must specify his/her grading policy, at the first of the semester. He/she may change his/her grading policy for cause after that time, but he/she must do so uniformly, with ample notification to students, if at all possible.”

Note that failure to publish the grading policy would mean that a faculty member would have great difficulty in sustaining his/her assigned grade if a student appealed with anything but a frivolous or irresponsible basis for his/her charge. The grading policy should be quite specific and should be distributed to each class in written form. Some departments may also require faculty members to file grading policy statements in the departmental office. Because the student can submit a grade appeal to the Department Chair within 20 business days after the first day of classes of the next academic term after the academic term in which the final grade was awarded to the student (see Grade Appeals Procedure, section B), it is strongly recommended that instructors retain any student papers, tests, projects, or other materials not returned to the student for 70 days after the end of a semester or if an appeal is filed until the appeal is resolved. Refer to the following section for specific grade appeal procedures.

Grade Appeal Procedure

Kennesaw State University is committed to treating students fairly in the grading process. Students may appeal a final grade that they receive in a course, but interim grades or grades on specific assignments are not appealable. Any such appeal must be based on an allegation that the faculty member has violated his/her stated grading policy or that the grade was a result of discrimination or retaliation. The student has the burden of proving these allegations. All formal appeals under these procedures will be based only on the written record.

1. Informal: Students are encouraged to discuss concerns and disputes over final course grades with the faculty member, prior to filing a formal grade appeal, in an effort to understand the basis of his/her grade. Faculty are encouraged to be available to students for such discussion regarding grades so that if possible, grade disputes can be resolved informally. The Office of the University Ombuds can provide assistance to students and faculty with resolving disputes informally in an effort to bring resolution to the matter prior to the initiation of a formal complaint. If the student has evidence of discrimination or retaliation, the student may bring his/her concerns directly to the Ombuds Office without first reviewing the matter with the faculty member.
2. Formal: In situations where such informal resolution does not occur or is not successful, the student may appeal the final course grade to the Department Chair. The appeal must be in writing and describe the precise basis for the appeal. Any pertinent information must be submitted with the appeal in order to be considered in this or subsequent appeals. The appeal must be submitted within 20 business days after the first day of classes of the next academic term (fall, spring, summer[or any other term]) after the academic term in which the final grade was awarded to the student. The Chair will invite the faculty member whose grade is appealed to provide a written response to the student’s appeal statement. The Department Chair (or the Chair’s designee) will review the allegations and conduct any additional fact finding as needed and will provide a decision in writing to the student, within 20 business days of the receipt of the complaint in the Department. The Chair’s written decision will specifically address the relevant issues raised by the student. In preparing the written decision, the Chair shall consult with the EEO officer or the Chief Diversity Officer if there is an allegation by the student that discrimination or retaliation had an impact on the grade that was awarded.
3. The student may appeal the Department Chair’s decision within 20 business days of being notified of the Chair’s decision. Such appeal will be made, in writing, to the Dean of the College in which the Department is located. At the Dean’s discretion, the Dean can appoint an advisory panel, consisting of two (2) faculty members from outside the department where the grade was awarded and one (1) student to review the written documentation and make a recommendation to the Dean. The advisory panel may invite the student and the faculty member who awarded the grade to meet with the panel to share each party’s position on the grade dispute. The panel will provide a written recommendation to the Dean within ten (10) business days of the receipt of the appeal. The Dean will issue a decision to the student, in writing, within ten (10) business days of the receipt of the report from the advisory panel or within twenty (20) business days of the receipt of the written complaint from the student if no panel was appointed.
4. The student may appeal the Dean’s decision to the Provost, in writing, within twenty (20) business days of being notified of the Dean’s decision. [However, if it is a graduate course, the student will direct this written appeal to the Graduate Dean, and the Graduate Dean will issue a decision to the student, in writing, within twenty (20) business days of receiving the appeal. Within twenty (20) days of that decision, the student may then appeal to the Provost as is described in this section]. The Provost, will issue a decision to the student, in writing within twenty (20) business days of receiving the appeal.
5. The Provost’s decision is final, and decisions regarding grades may not be appealed to the Board of Regents (BOR Policy 407.01).
6. Nothing in this grade appeals process prohibits the parties from settling this matter at any stage with the assistance of mediation through the Ombuds office. However, any attempt to settle the matter through mediation does not affect time deadlines for this grade appeals process.

Expectations for Satisfactory Graduate Level Student Performance

Graduate students are expected to earn grades of at least “B” in most of their course work for their degree. For graduation, a graduate student must have earned a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0 in all graduate course work at Kennesaw State University and a grade of “C” or better in each course presented to meet degree requirements.

I. Academic Probation

Whenever a graduate student’s cumulative graduate grade-point average drops below 3.0, that student will be placed on probation and be advised of the significance and potential consequences of this action. While on probation, the student will not be permitted to apply for admission to candidacy, take comprehensive exams, or obtain a graduate degree. Students on probation are only allowed to register for courses during Final Registration.

Graduate students can have their probationary status removed by raising their cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0. Graduate students will have 18 semester hours in which to improve their cumulative grade-point average to at least 3.0. After 18 semester hours, if the cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0 has not been met, the student will be dismissed from further study at KSU for at least one semester.

Individual graduate programs may have additional expectations and/or grading policies. Please see specific graduate program sections of the catalog for additional information on graduate expectations.

II. Reinstatement

Students who wish to request reinstatement after their dismissal must complete the “Request for Reinstatement” form and submit it to the Office of Graduate Admissions. The form will be routed to the appropriate graduate program personnel for review. The program will then forward their recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate College. The Dean of the Graduate College will then notify the appropriate graduate program director, the office of the registrar, and the student of his/her decision. The decision of the Dean of the Graduate College is final and students may not appeal this decision. Graduate students who are granted a reinstatement must agree to a remediation plan. Any deviation from the remediation plan will result in permanent dismissal.

Graduation Requirements

Each candidate for a master’s or doctoral degree must petition to graduate through the individual program. A student may request in absentia status by writing to the registrar prior to the graduation exercises.

Subject to the limitations and qualifications stated elsewhere in this catalog, the requirements for an advanced degree are as follows:

1. A Petition to Graduate will be accepted and may be filed during the semester preceding the final semester or summer term of enrollment but must be filed before the end of the first week of his/her final semester. This form may be obtained from the program director’s office.
2. A student must complete a minimum of 27 hours of degree requirements at Kennesaw State University. Candidates for a second master’s degree at Kennesaw State must earn a minimum of 18 additional hours in excess of any hours used toward the first master’s degree (the exact number of hours will depend on specific degree requirements).
3. Degree candidates must have earned a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 calculated on all graduate courses attempted at KSU and a grade of “C” or better in each course presented to meet degree requirements. With the approval of the Graduate Policy and Curriculum Committee, individual degree programs may establish additional graduation requirements (e.g., comprehensive exams, thesis).

Double Majors and Concentrations in a Single Degree Program

In graduate programs with specific concentrations or majors (the MAPW, MPA, and MSIS programs), a student may qualify for an additional major or concentration (within the specified graduate program) by completing a minimum of 12 additional hours of appropriate course work beyond that required for the original concentration or major and by completing any special requirements of that major or concentration.

The earning of a second concentration or major will be confirmed by the Office of the Registrar, upon written request by the student, and only if the additional courses are completed before any of the student’s graduate credits will be more than six years old. Double Major/Concentration Request Forms are available from the program director. The grades in the additional hours must not cause the student’s grade point average to fall below a 3.0. All grades must be “C” or higher.

Multiple Graduate Degrees

A student may earn a particular master’s degree at Kennesaw State only once. A student wishing to complete a second graduate degree program must:

1. submit the “Petition to Begin a Second Graduate Degree” form to the Office of Graduate Admissions;
2. meet with the program director for the second graduate degree program to plan appropriate courses;
3. meet all admission requirements in effect for the second graduate degree; and
4. fulfill all requirements for the second graduate degree.

For a second degree at the Masters level, the student may be able to use appropriate course work from the original graduate degree. The exact number of hours will depend on specific degree requirements and will be determined in consultation with the program director. Students enrolled in an approved Dual Degree program would follow the stated curriculum and would not be eligible to follow this policy. Expectations for Satisfactory Graduate Level Student Performance, as outlined above, apply to all second graduate degree students.

Each candidate for a second master’s degree must apply for graduation. A student may request in absentia status by writing to the registrar prior to graduation exercises. An application for graduation will be accepted and may be filed during the semester preceding the final semester or summer term of enrollment but must be filed before the end of the first week of his/her final semester. This form may be obtained from the program director ’s office. A student may not graduate from the second graduate degree program before graduating from their initial graduate degree program.

Academic Fresh Start for Readmission

A currently enrolled student who has been previously enrolled in a graduate program at KSU, who discontinued graduate college for at least six years, may petition in the Office of the Registrar for a onetime “academic fresh start” upon admission or readmission to a graduate program. The student’s adjusted grade point average will be readjusted after the end of the semester in which the petition was approved retroactive to the readmission term. Although the student’s transcript will retain all previous graduate course attempts and grades, only courses completed and grades received after readmission will be considered in the final degree audit. In addition, only grades received after readmission will be considered in decisions regarding academic warning, probation, and dismissal. The granting of Academic Fresh Start does not supersede financial aid policies regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Academic Fresh Start for Second Degree

A student who returns to KSU for a second graduate degree may request that the Adjusted GPA (AGPA) restarted at the time of re-entry. In order to restart the AGPA, students must petition the Office of the Registrar.

KSU Telecommunication Policies

The rules for use of all telecommunications equipment, including telephones, computers and FAX equipment, are found the KSU Web site at http://www.kennesaw.edu/resources/policy.shtml or they can be reached from the KSU Intranet Home Page by choosing the topic Telecommunications Policies from the Technology Resources section.

Use of any of these facilities implies an understanding of and compliance with these policies.

Additional Academic Regulations

Individual degree programs may impose additional academic regulations. Consult with the program director, department head or advisor for this information.