Academic Policies

University Policies

Credit Hour Definition

KSU’s policy defines a credit hour as one hour (50 minutes) of classroom or direct faculty instruction and one hour and 40 minutes of out-of-class student work each week for 15 weeks in a semester. This equates to a minimum of 750 minutes of class and 1,500 minutes of out-of-class academic engagement per semester credit hour.  An equivalent amount of work is required in educational activities that are out of the classroom or do not include direct faculty instruction and equates to a minimum of three hours of student engagement per week, per semester credit hour or a minimum of 2,250 minutes. These equivalencies are provided for use in online and hybrid courses.  This policy is published in the academic policies section of the undergraduate and graduate catalogs and covers all courses regardless of type of course, term length, or delivery mode.

Transcripts

Current and formerly enrolled KSU students may request a Kennesaw State University Transcript using the on-line order process. Students may request transcripts to be mailed or delivered electronically. The cost is $5.00 per transcript. Telephone requests will not be honored.

Due to provisions of the Student’s Right to Privacy Act, the student is the only one who can authorize release of his/her records.

Student Guide to Degree Progression (DegreeWorks)

DegreeWorks is a web-based advising tool that provides real-time advice on degree completion. This system is designed to aid and facilitate academic advising. It is not intended to replace face-to-face advising sessions. DegreeWorks is available to all degree seeking graduate students who have a catalog year equal to Fall 2011 or later.

Students with a catalog year prior to those listed above should continue to meet with their academic advisor concerning degree progression.

Students can access DegreeWorks through Owl Express.

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 20 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.

Students who wish to cross register must meet all eligibility requirements under the ARCHE agreement and the University. Courses taken at a partnering school are transferred back as transfer credit. Credits earned through the ARCHE program do not count in the KSU residency requirement.

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.

Member Colleges

Agnes Scott College
Brenau University
Clark Atlanta University
Clayton College & State University
Columbia Theological Seminary
Emory University
Georgia Gwinnett College
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia State University
Interdenominational Theological Center
Kennesaw State University
Mercer University of Atlanta
Mercer University
Morehouse College
Morehouse School of Medicine
Oglethorpe University
Savannah College of Art and Design - Atlanta
Spelman College
University of Georgia
University of West Georgia

Withdrawal from Courses

Students may withdraw from one or more courses up to one week prior to the last day of class. 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 one week prior to the last day of class 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. 

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.

Grading Policies

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: The grade of “I” denotes an incomplete grade for the course, and 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 his/her 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, 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 from Prior Learning Assessment (portfolio review).

W: indicates the student was permitted to withdraw from the course without academic penalty. A course in which a grade of “W” has been assigned will not be included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

WF: indicates the student was permitted to withdraw from a course with the approval of the Registrar after the withdrawal date listed in the Semester Schedule of Classes. The grade of “WF” is counted as an F in the calculation of the student’s grade point average

S: (Satisfactory) 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: (Unsatisfactory) 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: (In Progress) indicates credit has not been given in a course that requires a continuation of work beyond the term for which the student signed up for the course.  This symbol cannot be substituted for an incomplete grade.

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.

NA: Never Attended (for attendance verification). The grade will be changed to the appropriate withdrawal grade

Grade-Point Average

Kennesaw State University uses a 4.00 grade point average system, calculated to and truncated at two significant digits. 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.

Semester GPA (also known as SGPA or Term GPA)
Kennesaw State University calculates a semester grade point average (SGPA) for courses attempted each semester. This SGPA becomes particularly significant for students on academic probation who must maintain a 2.0 SGPA to avoid academic dismissal.

Institutional GPA (also known as KSU Adjusted GPA)
Kennesaw State University Calculates an institutional GPA that is used as the primary, overall GPA. Transfer credit/grades will not be used in calculating the institutional GPA.  The institutional term GPA will be used to determine semester honors and academic standing at the end of the term.  

Cumulative GPA (also known as Regents GPA)
Kennesaw State University calculates a cumulative GPA by dividing the total number of hours in which a grade of A, B, C, D, F or WF has been received into the number of quality points earned on those hours.  Institutional credit (such as learning support courses and courses taken to satisfy required high school deficiencies, etc.) will not be included in this GPA (BOR Policy Manual 3.5.1.2).

Grade Change Approval Process

Errors in grades must be reported to the Office of the Registrar immediately.  In general, no grade changes will be made after the end of the next semester after the grade was assigned, except with the approval of the Academic Standing Committee.  In general, the Academic Standing Committee will not consider requests for grade changes beyond one year from the end of the semester in which the grade was assigned.  A petition for a grade change will not be accepted after the date of graduation.

Grade Appeals

Grade appeal will follow the level of the course.  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 cannot be appealed. 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 members are encouraged to be available to students for such discussion regarding grades so that if possible, grade disputes can be resolved informally.
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 if there is no allegation of discrimination or retaliation that impacted the grade. The Chair’s written decision will specifically address the relevant issues raised by the student.
   • If the student alleges that the grade was a result of discrimination or retaliation, the following procedures will be followed. The Chair will consult with the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) if there is an allegation that discrimination or retaliation based on status in a protected class has an impact on the grade. Please see http://equity.kennesaw.edu/titleix/non-discrimination.php for the University’s Non-Discrimination Statement. The Executive Director of Institutional Equity or designee will review the information provided by the Chair to determine jurisdiction, routing, and whether an investigation is warranted, the OIE will conduct an investigation. The general timeframe for the investigation is 60 business days, absent any special circumstances. The OIE will issue an investigation report to the Chair. The Chair will use the OIE investigation report to make the grade appeal decision and communicate the decision to the student within 20 business days after receipt of the OIE investigation report. The Chair’s written decision will specifically address the relevant issues raised by the student. 
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 4.7).

Nothing in this grade appeals process prohibits the parties from settling this matter at any stage. However, any attempt to settle the matter through mediation does not affect time deadlines for this grade appeals process.

Catalog Year for Graduation Evaluation

Each student should meet with his/her academic advisor or departmental representative to determine the appropriate catalog to be used for academic advisement and evaluation of graduation requirements. Catalog selection applies only to the course requirements of that catalog; all other academic procedures and graduation requirements must be satisfied according to regulations in effect at the time of graduation.

A student may elect to be evaluated for graduation from any catalog in effect during the time he or she has been enrolled, provided that enrollment has been continuous, and the student does not change majors. If a student changes majors, he/she will be evaluated for graduation using the catalog in effect at the time of the change, or any subsequent catalog as long as the student is continuously enrolled.

Students readmitted will be evaluated for graduation from the catalog in effect at the time of readmission or reinstatement, or any catalog in effect during subsequent periods of continuous enrollment.

Registration 

All registration at Kennesaw State University is conducted over the web through Owl Express.

New graduate students, as well as continuing students, may register during the registration period in the preceding term or during the final registration period.

Any course adjustments (dropping and adding classes) should be completed during this final registration period. 

NOTE: Specific dates can be found on the academic calendar located on the KSU Registrar Web page, kennesaw.edu/registrar.

Registration Access

Access to registration will be granted by time tickets in Banner/Owl Express based on a student’s number of overall earned hours.  The University may grant earlier access to registration to certain students who have been approved by the University. 

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 load and fees. 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.

Continuous Enrollment Policy

• Students enrolled in a Graduate degree program must register for at least one course in at least one semester per academic year in order for the original program requirements for their degree to remain unchanged unless a Leave of Absence has been approved.
• If dissertation, thesis, capstone or project courses comprise 50% or more of a student’s credit hours in any semester, they must be continuously enrolled every semester thereafter until satisfying the requirements of the student’s program. Summer registration is not required unless the student intends to graduate in summer semester.
• Students who have completed all coursework and are planning to submit a thesis or project in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master’s degree should register for thesis or project hours consistent with a realistic appraisal of the amount of remaining thesis work and required faculty involvement.
• Students who have completed all coursework and are planning to submit a dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a doctoral degree should register for dissertation hours consistent with a realistic appraisal of the amount of remaining dissertation work and required faculty involvement.
• Students are not eligible to receive thesis, dissertation or project guidance nor use campus resources during any term for which they are not registered.
• If a student has completed all degree requirements and will no longer require any of the campus resources or faculty time, the student may request an enrollment waiver.
• Graduate students must be registered for at least one semester hour in the semester, or proceeding semester, they plan to graduate.

Grading of Thesis/Dissertation credits: 

• A grade of “IP” will be recorded for all thesis, dissertation or project credit work in progress and will automatically be recorded each semester the student is enrolled.
• Unless otherwise approved by The Graduate College, the grade of “S” or “U” must be recorded for all thesis, dissertation or project credit when completed.
• Unless otherwise approved by The Graduate College, the program will report a final thesis, dissertation or project grade of “S” or “U”. Any reported grade other than “S” or “U” may  be changed to an “S” or “U” grade according to the following: reported grade of “A”, “B”, “C” = “S”; “D”, “F” = “U”
• Upon completion of the thesis, dissertation or project requirements, final grades for preceding semesters will be changed to the appropriate grade.

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence provides a mechanism for students experiencing unusual circumstances to be exempt temporarily from the continuous enrollment policy. A leave of absence requires approval of the Graduate Program Coordinator and The Graduate College. A leave of absence will be granted only for good cause such as serious medical and health-related issues, major financial and employment issues; pregnancy, childbirth, child care, elder care, and other significant family issues; and other major personal circumstances that interfere with the ability to undertake graduate study.

1. An approved leave of absence stands in lieu of registering for the minimum of 1 credit for each semester for which the leave of absence is granted. During a leave of absence, students may not use KSU facilities, resources, or services designed or intended only for enrolled students; receive a graduate assistantship, fellowship, or financial aid from the University; or take any KSU courses related to their program of study. Time on leave counts toward any University, Graduate College, or program time limits pertaining to the degree being sought. The Graduate College, at its discretion, may grant an extension of the time to degree completion.
2. Application. Students may apply for a leave of absence for good cause such as serious medical and health-related issues, major financial and employment issues; pregnancy, childbirth, child care, elder care, and other significant family issues; and other major personal circumstances that interfere with the ability to undertake graduate study. An approved leave of absence stands in lieu of registering for the minimum of 1 credit for each semester for which the leave of absence is granted.
3. External Limitations. An approved leave of absence does not exempt students from the enrollment requirements of other programs, offices and agencies such as the Veterans Administration, Immigration and Naturalization Service, and federal financial aid programs. Please note that eligibility for certain types of financial aid (including graduate assistantships) may require enrollment for credits beyond those required by the Continuous Enrollment Policy.  It is the student’s responsibility to notify other appropriate agencies as necessary, as well as ensuring the leave does not adversely affect the student.
4. Deadlines.  It is the student’s responsibility to apply for a leave of absence in a timely fashion.  A student may apply for a leave of absence before or during any semester in which they are not registered for courses. Application for a leave of absence must be received by the Graduate College on or before the last day of classes for the semester for which it is requested. A leave of absence will not be granted retroactively after the end of the semester.
5. Limits. A student may request a leave of absence for one semester, two consecutive semesters, or three consecutive semesters (summer semester included). There is a 12-month limit for any one request of leave of absence. A student may submit multiple requests for a leave of absence subject to a 3-semester limit while enrolled in a specific graduate program.

Full-Time & Maximum 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.

Graduate-Level Study

Graduate courses are open only to students accepted to graduate study.

Classification of Courses  

Courses of instruction for degree credit in the curriculum of Kennesaw State University will be divided into four categories: lower division, upper division, graduate and doctorate.  Lower division courses (typically regarded as freshman and sophomore level courses) are numbered 1000-2999; upper division courses (typically regarded as junior and senior level courses) are numbered 3000-4999; graduate courses are numbered 5000-7999; doctoral courses are numbered 8000-9999.  (Courses numbered below 1000 do not count for degree credit but do count for determining fees and enrollment status.)

Residency Requirement

To receive a graduate degree from Kennesaw State University, students must complete at least 75% of the total semester hours required for the degree within their graduate program through instruction offered by Kennesaw State.  Credit hours earned through instruction offered by KSU does not include coursework transferred from other institutions or credits earned through a consortium that did not originate from KSU (i.e., cross registration).  All of these hours must be completed after the student has been admitted to the degree program.

Candidates for a second master’s degree at KSU 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).

Time Limit (Age of Credit)

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. Unless otherwise stated in the specific program description in the graduate catalog, all requirements for a doctoral degree must be completed within ten years, beginning with the first registration in graduate-level classes following admission to the degree program. 

The Graduate College may grant an extension of time for conditions beyond the student’s control.

Transfer Credit

Graduate work taken at other 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 exceed 25% of the total semester hours required for the degree, 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.

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.

IP (In Progress) Grade

In most graduate courses, the grades “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “F,” “I” (Incomplete), “W” (Withdrawal), and “WF” (Withdrawal with an “F”) are awarded.

In some graduate courses, the notation “IP” (In Progress) is used, particularly thesis, dissertation, and capstone/project courses intended to extend beyond one semester. A student will 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” will not be computed in the student’s grade-point average.

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 institutional 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 take comprehensive exams, or obtain a graduate degree. Academic probation may also affect a student’s financial aid status or eligibility to hold a graduate assistantship. Graduate students can have their probationary status removed by raising their institutional grade-point average to at least 3.0.

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. Dismissal

Graduate students will be dismissed from further graduate study under any of the following conditions:

1. While on probation, the term GPA is less than 3.0
2. Not achieving an institutional graduate GPA of 3.0 after two semesters

III. Reinstatement

As a general practice, students who wish to request reinstatement after their dismissal must sit out at least one semester or summer term. The student 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. Graduate students who are granted a reinstatement must agree to a remediation plan. Any deviation from the remediation plan will result in permanent dismissal.

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.

Graduation Requirements

Each candidate for a master’s or doctoral degree must petition to graduate online. A student may request in absentia status by writing to the registrar prior to the graduation exercises.  The student must pay all required fees, fines and other financial obligations to KSU prior to receiving his/her diploma and/or other services.  Students with a balance may have a HOLD placed on their account until the balance is paid.

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 by the posted deadlines using the online petition to graduate form in OwlExpress. To receive a graduate degree from Kennesaw State University, students must complete at least 75% of the total semester hours required for the degree within their graduate program through instruction offered by Kennesaw State. Credit hours earned through instruction offered by KSU does not include coursework transferred from other institutions or credits earned through a consortium that did not originate from KSU (i.e., cross registration).  All of these hours must be completed after the student has been admitted to the degree program. Candidates for a second master’s degree at KSU 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).
2. Degree candidates must have earned an institutional 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.
3. With the approval of the Graduate Policy and Curriculum Committee, individual degree programs may establish additional graduation requirements (e.g., comprehensive exams, thesis).

Multiple Concentrations in a Single Degree program

In graduate programs with specific concentrations, a student may qualify for an additional 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 and by completing any special requirements of that concentration and only if the additional courses are completed before any of the student’s graduate credits will be more than six years old (or more than 10 years old for doctoral students). 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.

After earning the additional concentration, the student must submit a written request to the Office of the Registrar to include the concentration on the student’s record.

Dual Degrees

Dual Degrees in the University System of Georgia are defined according to the SACS Collaborative Academic Arrangements Policy. 

Kennesaw offers the following dual degree programs at the graduate level:
 

• Business Administration/Information Systems Dual Master’s Degree  
• Business Administration/Conflict Management Dual Master’s Degree   
• Business Administration/Public Administration Dual Master’s Degree  
• Business Administration/Social Work Dual Master’s Degree   
• Public Administration/Integrated Global Communication Dual Master’s Degree   

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 a new graduate application through the Office of Graduate Admissions;
2. meet with the program director for the second graduate degree program to plan appropriate courses after acceptance into that program;
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 coursework 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 must follow the stated curriculum and would not be eligible to follow this policy.

Each candidate for a second master’s degree must apply for graduation. An application for graduation will be accepted and may be filed online by the posted deadlines. A student may not graduate from the second graduate degree program before graduating from their initial graduate degree program.

Additional Academic Regulations

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

Disclaimer

The Graduate College may, at its discretion, waive or modify any of the foregoing.