Catalog Use

A student who re-enters the University after an absence of three or more years, excluding summer sessions, must meet the requirements of the current catalog unless they receive written approval from the dean of the college in which they are enrolled to continue under an earlier catalog. This written permission must be filed in the Office of Graduate Studies prior to the submission of a Graduate Degree Plan.

 Change of Grade

When an error has been made in computing a student’s final grade, the reported grade may be changed by the instructor. The change should be reported to the School of Graduate Studies no later than the end of the third week of the next semester. The form for requesting a change of grade is initiated by the instructor of record and can be obtained on the Registrar’s website. The director/department chair is then responsible for forwarding it to the School of Graduate Studies with their approval/denial. After the change of grade request has been approved by the School of Graduate Studies, the Office of the Registrar will change the student’s permanent record.

 Change of Status or Program

Should a student wish to change from their current graduate status to become a non-degree, degree-seeking, second bachelor’s, or post-baccalaureate certificate student, the Change of Status form (wiu.edu/grad/changestatus) must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies. If changing to a different degree program, the student must also submit any required admission documents (wiu.edu/grad/apchecklist) before admission consideration will be given.

International students may not change programs during their first semester and must remain in the program to which they were originally accepted during that initial semester.

 Continuous Enrollment in Thesis, Dissertation or Exit Option

Most students, both full- and part-time, prefer to pursue an advanced degree by taking classes continuously (e.g., at least one course every fall and spring semester until completion). Thus, it is important that students file degree plans in a timely manner and, for those who interrupt their program of study, to note the maximum time period allowed for fulfilling all requirements for the degree sought. (See section entitled “Time to Complete Degree/Revalidation of Courses.”)

Once a student has begun work on a thesis, dissertation, or other exit option, it is expected that such work should progress continuously through each regular academic semester. A student working on an exit option should enroll in the course(s) for which academic credit is given for that option. Once all other degree requirements as stipulated on the degree plan are met, students who have an incomplete grade in exit option courses must maintain their enrollment with the University in order to make use of academic and non-academic services (e.g., laboratories, library, faculty access). Enrollment must be maintained every semester during which a student is continuing to complete an exit option. Students enrolling in no other credit hours who have not completed exit option requirements in their program must enroll in UNIV 695 (maximum 1 s.h. per semester) until a final grade is received for the exit option activity and the degree is completed, or the time period to complete the degree is exceeded. The requirement for continuous registration does not apply during a summer term. (See Educational Leadership department for policies on continual enrollment for the Ed.D. degree.) Students must complete a Request to Enroll in UNIV 695, Continuing Enrollment, and submit the form to the School of Graduate Studies to request initial registration for UNIV 695. The request form can be found online at wiu.edu/grad.

Students seeking an exception to this policy should submit a petition to the School of Graduate Studies.

Students enrolled in UNIV 695 are not eligible to hold an assistantship position.

Failure to Register for UNIV 695

After the student has requested registration for one semester of UNIV 695, the Office of the Registrar will automatically register and assess tuition and fees for each semester of UNIV 695 until continuous registration is interrupted. Continuous registration is interrupted by completion of the degree, non-payment of the tuition bill, or expiration of the time limit to complete the program of study. All students who meet the criteria delineated in this policy must initiate continuous enrollment registration through the School of Graduate Studies or petition for a leave of absence from the University. Any student who fails to initiate registration or interrupts continuous registration without obtaining a leave of absence from the School of Graduate Studies must enroll in one credit hour of UNIV 695 for each of the delinquent semesters upon re-enrollment and/or reinstatement, or as a condition of having the degree conferred. Any student requesting reinstatement in a degree program must submit an online application for re-admission to the School of Graduate Studies.

 Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisite: A course that must be completed prior to enrollment in a particular course. Prerequisite may also refer to acceptable class standing, prior academic standing, permission of instructor, departmentally determined competencies, or other departmental requirements.

Corequisite: A course that must be taken simultaneously with another course.

Note: It is the responsibility of the student to comply with the prerequisites/corequisites as stated in the University catalog and course syllabus for all courses they plan to take. Instructors may withdraw a student who does not meet course prerequisites/corequisites at any time from course registration through the 100% refund/credit period by sending the student written notification (e-mail or letter) with a copy to the Registrar. The written notification must include the reason why the student is being withdrawn from the course and must allow the student five working days to respond to the instructor to determine if the prerequisites/corequisites have been or will be satisfied. After the five working days, unless otherwise notified by the instructor, the Registrar will drop the course from the student’s schedule and send an updated schedule confirmation. Departments have the opportunity to designate specific course sections as having enforced prerequisites. During registration, these courses will be identified on STARS and students who do not meet the requirements will be deleted prior to the first day of class.

 Courses and Credit Requirements

Courses numbered 500 and above are graduate courses. Only those advanced undergraduate courses on the 400-level listed in this catalog may be taken for graduate credit. In order for graduate credit to be earned for these 400-level courses, additional work to that which is done for undergraduate credit must be completed. No more than one-half of the semester hours counted for the graduate degree may be earned in courses below the 500 level.

Specific credit requirements for the completion of degrees are listed under each graduate program description. Hours earned in courses taken to satisfy deficiencies in the undergraduate program are not counted toward the total degree requirements.

Following each course title in the ensuing pages, the number in parentheses represents the credit allotment for the course in terms of semester hours.

Western Illinois University offers students and faculty the opportunity to explore experiments in learning which are outside the existing traditional curriculum structure. Faculty may propose new and innovative courses (475G/675) for presentation to students on a trial basis. The appropriate department chairperson should be contacted for additional information about experimental courses. Course content taken under experimental course numbers (475G/675) may not be repeated. No more than six semester hours of credit earned in a combination of 475G and 675 may be used in any graduate degree program.

Overseas Study 679, a course available to all departments, facilitates the registration and tracking of students who enroll for study outside the U.S. Prerequisites for this course are approved by the study abroad coordinator and the department chairperson. No more than six semester hours of Overseas Study 679 may be applied to a graduate degree.

Only doctoral students are eligible to enroll in courses numbered 700 and above.

 Document Policies

A transcript of a student’s record received by WIU from another university or college will not be forwarded to a third institution. The student should request another transcript from the original institution.

Admission test scores for the GRE and GMAT are not forwarded to another university. The student should request test scores directly from Educational Testing Service.

 Exit Option Committees

The exit option committee shall be comprised of a minimum of three departmental faculty, of which one shall serve as chair. The chair must be a full member of the graduate faculty. Other committee members must be full or associate members of the graduate faculty. Additional graduate faculty can be added to the committee per departmental policy.

The dissertation committee composition is defined by each individual doctoral program. Contact the appropriate departmental chair/program director to determine membership rules for dissertation committees.

Exit option committees must be approved by the School of Graduate Studies. Committee approval forms can be found at wiu.edu/grad.

  Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Notification to Students) Policy

Western Illinois University, in full compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, shall make educational records available to students upon request. Likewise, in accordance with the law, individually identifiable educational records will not be released to other than authorized individuals without written consent of the student. Students have the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Office concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the Act.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution.) These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day Western Illinois University receives a request for access. A student should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the school official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.
   
   A student who wishes to ask the school to amend a record should write the school official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
   
   If the school decides not to amend the record as requested, the school will notify the student in writing of the decision and of the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to provide written consent before the university discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
   
   The school discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by Western Illinois University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of Western Illinois University who performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student who is volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for Western Illinois University.
   
   Upon request, the school also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. The Access to and Release of Student Information Policy (wiu.edu/policies) includes additional disclosures that are permitted by FERPA without prior written consent.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Western Illinois University to comply with the requirements by FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

Western Illinois University considers the following categories to be directory information, and, as such, may release it to any or all inquirers in such forms as news releases, directories, or computer address lists:

1. the student's name,

2. school and home address,

3. WIU email address,

4. telephone number,

5. major field of study,

6. dates of attendance,

7. full- or part-time status,

8. classification,

9. degrees, honors, and awards received (including Dean's List) and date granted,

10. anticipated graduation date,

11. most recent previous educational agency or institution attended,

12. participation in officially recognized activities and sports, and,

13. for members of athletic teams, weight and height.

Students who do not wish this information to be released may prevent such release by submitting an Exclusion of Directory Information Form to the Office of the Registrar, Sherman Hall 110. The request for exclusion of directory information will be honored indefinitely; however, it does not affect directory information already published or released. By requesting exclusion of directory information, students should be aware that all future requests for this information by anyone other than school officials with legitimate educational interests will be refused.

 Final Examinations

Each candidate for a graduate degree may be required to take a final oral and/or written examination. It may be required by the department or departments involved (see the relevant departmental section), or by the Graduate Council in special cases.

If the examining committee decides the student has failed to pass the written and/or oral examination, it makes one of three possible decisions: (a) the candidate should not receive the graduate degree, (b) the candidate should be required to take additional courses before appearing for re-examination, or (c) the candidate should be re-examined after a period of time as designated by departmental policy.

 Full-time/Part-time Enrollment

Full-time enrollment is nine semester hours of credit during any regular semester (fall or spring) or six semester hours of credit during the summer term. The maximum load for a graduate student during any regular semester (fall or spring) is 15 semester hours or nine semester hours during the summer term. Exceptions may be permitted by the School of Graduate Studies.

The maximum course load for Computer Science graduate students is nine hours during fall or spring semester or six hours during the summer term.

 Grade Appeals Policy

The purpose of the grade appeal policy is to ensure that grades represent a fair and consistent evaluation of student performance.

A graduate student who believes they were unjustly evaluated in a course must discuss the matter privately with the professor involved by the end of the second week of the regular semester (fall or spring) following the term in which the student received the grade in question. Grade appeal hearings are normally heard during the fall/spring semesters, unless all parties agree to an earlier hearing. In the event the student is unable to contact the professor by the beginning of the third week of the regular semester, the student should contact the department chairperson in order to set up a meeting with the faculty member (or to meet with the department chairperson if the faculty member is no longer on campus).

A grade assigned as a result of an academic integrity violation cannot be appealed. The complete grade appeal process can be found at wiu.edu/policies/gradeapp.php.

 Graduate Committees–Departmental

Each department offering graduate work as a field of specialization has a graduate committee. Shortly after the student has been admitted to the School of Graduate Studies, and prior to their first registration, the student must consult the chair of their graduate committee or assigned academic advisor. Graduate committees have general supervision over the work of their department's degree students. Until the Departmental Graduate Committee assigns the student to an advisor, the committee assumes responsibility for the student's general orientation and program of study.

 Incomplete Grade Policy

A temporary grade of “I” (incomplete) indicates that the student has been unable to complete coursework due to circumstances beyond their control. A request for an incomplete grade at the graduate level may be approved at the discretion of the faculty member. Students failing to complete the required coursework within one year will receive a grade of F or U. Faculty members may approve an extension of time for the incomplete. Some academic departments have automatically extended their capstone/exit option courses (i.e., thesis, applied project, etc.), and students should contact their academic advisor to identify courses with automatic extensions already in place. Completion of a graduate degree will not be allowed with incomplete grades posted Fall 2006 or after on the transcript.

 Integrated Baccalaureate and Master’s Degree Programs

An integrated baccalaureate and master’s degree program provides the opportunity for outstanding undergraduates to earn both degrees in five years. Typically, a baccalaureate degree requires four years to complete and a master’s degree requires an additional two years. However, the integrated degree programs are intended to be accomplished over a period of five years. In addition to allowing students to earn both degrees a year early, the integrated program may include additional opportunities to participate in a variety of experiential educational activities, such as a master’s project or thesis.

Please go to Integrated Programs for details and program offerings.

 Oral English Proficiency Appeal

Students who have complaints concerning the oral English proficiency of faculty providing classroom instruction should contact the Department Chairperson or School Director or the immediate supervisor of the appropriate faculty member. The complaint should be as specific as possible and should include a written summary.

All complaints shall be investigated by the Department Chairperson or School Director including, but not limited to, classroom visitation. If the Department Chairperson or School Director finds the faculty member's oral English proficiency is satisfactory, the Department Chairperson or School Director will so notify the student.

Students may appeal the Department Chairperson's or School Director’s satisfactory evaluation of oral English proficiency to the appropriate Dean who shall investigate the complaint. If the Dean finds the faculty member's oral English proficiency is satisfactory, the Dean will so notify the student. In the event of such a finding, the decision of the Dean shall be final.

If the Department Chairperson, School Director, or Dean finds the faculty member's oral English proficiency is unsatisfactory, a recommendation shall be submitted to the Academic Vice President for consideration. The Academic Vice President will notify the student and the faculty member of this decision.

At all levels of this procedure, the student's identity will remain confidential. WIU’s full policy on Oral English Proficiency is available at wiu.edu/policies/oralexam.php.

 Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs

Western Illinois University offers post-baccalaureate certificates in several disciplines. Please refer to the appropriate section on this site for details and program offerings.

 Repeatable Courses

Some courses are designated in the catalog description as repeatable for credit. These courses are not eligible for grade replacement.

 Repeating a Course for Grade Replacement

If a graduate course not designated in the catalog as repeatable for credit is retaken, the following policy regarding repeating a course for grade replacement will apply:

1. A student must petition the School of Graduate Studies for permission to repeat a course before the beginning date of the course in which a grade was earned previously in order for this policy to apply to that course.
2. The repeated course must be taken from Western Illinois University.
3. A course may not be repeated more than one time (taking it a maximum of two times). In addition, no more than six total credit hours of graduate-level work may be repeated under this policy in a program requiring 30–46 semester hours. No more than nine total credit hours of graduate-level work may be repeated under this policy in a program requiring 47 or more hours, with the exception of the Counseling program, which allows no more than six semester hours of grades to be replaced. Subsequent attempts to repeat a course will not result in credit or honor point replacement.
4. Credit and applicable honor points will be awarded only once, the final time, for a repeated course. Only the grade for the most recent class will be used for the grade point average calculation.
5. All prior enrollments and grades earned will remain on the permanent academic record and will carry an indicator that the course has been repeated.
6. The semester hours from all graduate work in which grades C, D, F, FN, FW, or U were earned, including those that are subsequently replaced under this grade replacement policy, count toward the maximum number of allowable hours of C, D, F, FN, FW, or U that may be earned in graduate level work, as described in the “Academic Requirements and Satisfactory Progress” section of this catalog.
7. This policy does not supersede the policies on incompletes or withdrawals.
8. Once the degree is conferred and a student has graduated, no coursework toward that degree may be subsequently repeated under the provisions of this policy.
9. The student may not replace a grade of “F” under this policy if the student was assigned the grade as a result of an Academic Integrity violation. If the course is retaken, both the failing grade and the grade earned by repeating the course will appear on the transcript and will be used to calculate the student’s grade point average.
10. This policy may not be used to replace a grade on a comprehensive exam or an exit option course such as a dissertation, thesis, or project.

Tuition and applicable fees must be paid for all courses retaken. Students should be aware many graduate and professional schools recalculate grade point averages taking into account every grade that appears on the transcript. Students who are receiving financial aid must consider the impact of repeating classes on their eligibility for financial aid for future semesters.

Courses taken prior to Fall 1978 are not eligible to be repeated for grade replacement.

 Research – Human Subjects

Any research that involves human subjects, whether funded or not, that is undertaken by WIU faculty, academic staff, or students, or supported by Western Illinois University, must be conducted ethically and is subject to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) policies on human subjects research. Research with human subjects that will be used for the completion of a degree (master’s thesis, master’s project, dissertation, etc.) must be reviewed by the IRB.

Research conducted as part of a classroom assignment must adhere to the “Research Conducted in Courses” listed in the WIU IRB Policy and Procedures for Human Subjects Research, Revised June 2016. Additional information for classroom-based research can be found in the “Classroom-Based Research Guidelines” located on the Sponsored Projects website under “Research Compliance.”

• “Research,” as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is a systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.

• “Research,” as defined by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), means any experiment that involves a test article and one or more human subjects.

If a research protocol meets either of these definitions, it must be reviewed by the WIU IRB prior to the research being conducted. If you are unsure whether your project requires IRB approval, please contact the Compliance Specialist at irb@wiu.edu. Additional information can be found at wiu.edu/sponsored_projects/compliance/index.php.

 Residency

Domestic and international tuition is assessed based on the following regulations. All questions related to residency may be directed to the Office of the Registrar, Sherman Hall 110, telephone (309) 298-1891 or R-Office@wiu.edu.

1. Definitions

For purposes of this regulation, the following definitions pertain:

a. An “adult student” is a student who is eighteen or more years of age.

b. A “minor student” is a student who is less than eighteen years of age.

c. An “emancipated minor student” is a completely self-supporting student who is less than eighteen years of age. Marriage or active military service shall be regarded as effecting the emancipation of minors, for the purposes of this regulation.

d. “Residence” means legal domicile. Voter registration, filing of tax returns, proper license and registration for driving or ownership of a vehicle, and other such transactions may verify intent of residence in a state. Neither length of University attendance nor continued presence in the University community during vacation periods shall be construed to be proof of Illinois residence. Except as otherwise provided in this regulation, no student, parent, or legal or natural guardian will be considered a resident unless the student, parent, or guardian maintains a bona fide and permanent residence in Illinois, except when temporarily absent from Illinois, with no intention of changing his or her legal residence to some other state or country.

2. Residency Determination

The University shall determine the residence status of each student enrolled in the University for the purpose of determining whether the student is assessed domestic or international tuition. Each applicant for admission shall submit at the time of application evidence for determination of residence in accordance with this regulation. The office responsible for admissions shall make a determination of residency status.

a. If a non-resident is classified by error as a resident, a change in tuition charges shall be applicable beginning with the term following reclassification. If the erroneous resident classification is caused by false information submitted by the student, a change in tuition charges shall be applicable for each term in which tuition charges were based on such false information. In addition, the student who has submitted false information may be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

b. If a resident is classified by error as a non-resident, a change in tuition charges shall be applicable during the term in which the reclassification occurs, provided that the student has proven residency in accordance with this regulation.

3. Residency Requirements

a. Adult Students

To be considered a resident, an adult student must be a bona fide resident of Illinois as defined in 1.d. In the case of adult students who reside with their parent(s), the student will be considered a resident if one of the parents has established and is maintaining a bona fide residence in Illinois.

To be considered a resident, an adult student not residing in Illinois must be a bona fide resident of one of the approval states outside of Illinois. The Board of Trustees will approve the appropriate states which will be listed in the cost section of the official Western Illinois University catalog.

b. Minor Students

The residence of minor students shall be considered to be the same as that of their parents or that of either parent if the parents are separated or divorced or that of their legally appointed or natural guardian such as a grandparent, adult sibling, adult uncle, or adult aunt by whom the minor has been supported.

c. Emancipated Minors

If emancipated minors actually reside in Illinois, such minors shall be considered residents even though their parents or guardians may not reside in Illinois.

d. Minor Children of Parents Transferred Outside the State of Illinois

The minor children of persons who have resided in Illinois immediately prior to a transfer by their employers to some location outside of the State of Illinois shall be considered residents. This rule shall apply, however, only when the minor children of such parents enroll in the University within five years of the time their parents are transferred by their employer to a location outside the State of Illinois.

e. Married Students

A non-resident student, whether a minor or adult, who is married to a person who meets and complies with all of the applicable requirements of these regulations to establish residence status, shall be classified as a resident.

f. Armed Forces Personnel

Non-residents of Illinois who are on active duty with one of the services of the Armed Forces of the United States who are stationed in Illinois and who submit evidence of such service and station, as well as the spouses and dependent children of such persons, shall be considered residents as long as such persons remain stationed in Illinois. If such persons are transferred to a post outside the continental United States but such persons remain registered at the University, residence status shall continue until such time as these persons are stationed within a state other than Illinois within the continental United States. Effective July 1, 2015, students using benefits under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Chapter 33), the All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance (Chapter 30), or any subsequent variation of those Acts, WIU shall deem that student an Illinois resident for tuition purposes regardless of the covered student’s state of residence.

g. Staff Members of the University, Allied Agencies, and Faculty of State-Supported Institutions in Illinois

Staff members of the University and of allied agencies, and faculties of state-supported institutions of higher education in Illinois, holding appointment of at least one-quarter time, and their spouses and dependent children, shall be treated as residents.

h. Teachers in Public and Private Illinois Schools

Teachers in the public and private elementary and secondary schools of Illinois shall, if subject to payment of tuition, be assessed at the resident rate during any term in which they hold an appointment of at least one-quarter time, including the summer session immediately following the term in which the appointment was effective.

4. Residency Status Appeal Procedure

Students who take exception to their residency status classification shall pay the tuition assessed but may appeal to the University Registrar by proving Illinois residency in accordance with these regulations. The appeal must be filed within sixty (60) calendar days from the date of the tuition bill or the student loses all rights to a change of residency status for the term in question. If the student is dissatisfied with the ruling in response to the appeal made within said period, the student may file a written appeal within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the decision of the Administrative Hearing Committee, which shall consider all evidence submitted in connection with the case and render a decision which shall be final.

5. Special Situations

The President may, in special situations, grant residency status to categories of persons otherwise classified as non-residents under this regulation.

 Retaking Failed Courses

A student may repeat any credit course in which a failing grade (F, FN, or FW) was received. If the student successfully petitions to the School of Graduate Studies to repeat this course for grade replacement, that policy will apply. Otherwise, both the failing grade and the grade earned by repeating the course will appear on the transcript and will be used to calculate the student's grade point average.

 Retaking Passed Courses

If a student successfully petitions to the School of Graduate Studies to repeat a passed course for grade replacement, that policy will apply. Otherwise, if a student decides that their mastery of a previously passed course will be improved by retaking the course, they may do so subject to the following conditions:

1. All grades received for each course retaken will appear separately on the transcript in addition to the original grade.

2. No honor points or credit toward graduation may be received for retaking a previously passed course.

3. Tuition and fees must be paid for all courses retaken. Once a course is passed, that course may be counted for financial aid purposes only one more time.

4. The student must properly register to retake a course during registration or preregistration.

Previously passed courses are those for which any of the following grades have been received: A, B, C, D, or S. If a course graded “S” is retaken, the second grade (assuming successful completion) will also be an “S” since only “S” and “U” grades can be given for such courses. For all other previously passed courses, the grade on the transcript will reflect what the student has achieved by taking the course a second time.

 Right of Academic Appeal

Graduate students have the right to appeal the implementation of any University regulation that relates to admission, academic standards, assistantships, or graduation by submitting a petition form (wiu.edu/grad/petition) to the Graduate Council. Such appeals must be based upon the existence of unusual or extenuating circumstances that have prevented the student from achieving the normal University standard, and evidence of these unusual or extenuating circumstances must be presented with the appeal. Such appeals must be submitted to the Graduate School. The appeal process can be found at wiu.edu/grad.

 Student Responsibility

Students are responsible for knowing degree requirements and enrolling in courses that will enable them to complete their degree programs. It is also each student’s responsibility to know the University regulations for the standard of work required to continue in graduate school. Degree requirements are presented in this publication. Additional details about requirements and procedures are available from the School of Graduate Studies or at wiu.edu/grad.

 Thesis/Dissertation Preparation

WIU theses and dissertations reflect on the student, the department, and the University. Thus, it is in all our interests that they are of the highest quality and format. Format, style, method of presenting bibliographies, etc., vary among departments depending on the subject matter and field of the thesis/dissertation. In spite of the differences, however, some uniformity is expected in all theses/dissertations submitted. Guidelines for thesis/dissertation preparation can be found at wiu.edu/graduate_studies/thesis_and_dissertation.

The thesis/dissertation must be electronically submitted to www.etdadmin.com/wnill. Deadline for submission is the Friday before finals week in the spring and fall semesters and the Friday before the final week of the summer session. Students will be required to purchase a copy of their thesis/dissertation for the University Archives.

 Time to Complete Degree/Revalidation of Courses

The work required for a graduate degree (including transfer courses) must be completed within six consecutive calendar years for master’s and specialist students and eight consecutive calendar years for doctoral students from the commencement of the first course taken. An extension of time may be granted, however outdated coursework must be revalidated. Students should contact their department to begin the revalidation process. Evidence must show that such courses have been revalidated by examination or some other means as determined by the department. Transfer courses must be revalidated by instructors from the credit-granting institution. Graduate courses with grades of “C” or lower may not be revalidated. Those outdated courses may be excluded from the calculation of grade point average with the approval of the department and the School of Graduate Studies via petition.

 Transfer Credit

Transfer credits are approved by the School of Graduate Studies or the Graduate Council. Approved courses can be listed on the degree plan or, if a degree plan has already been filed, submitted via petition to the School of Graduate Studies. Official transcripts recording the transfer courses must be sent directly from the registrar of that institution to the School of Graduate Studies. No course credit may be transferred unless the grade received was at least a “B”.

If approved by their department, a student may transfer a maximum of six semester hours of approved graduate credit from an accredited institution in a 30-hour degree program or nine semester hours in a degree program requiring 32 or more semester hours with the exception of the doctoral programs. A student in a doctoral program may transfer a maximum of eighteen semester hours with approval from their department. Students may petition to the Graduate Council, with the approval of the advisor and the departmental graduate committee, for additional hours to be accepted from other accredited institutions. Coursework that was used to meet degree requirements for a graduate degree at a different institution will not be allowed to transfer to Western Illinois University.

 Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate-Level Courses

Under certain circumstances, an undergraduate student may enroll in graduate-level courses for either graduate, undergraduate, or bridge credit. Forms are available at wiu.edu/registrar/forms. Regulations governing graduate course offerings for undergraduate credit are as follows:

1. The student must be of senior classification and in good academic standing.
2. The student must have fulfilled the course prerequisites.
3. No more than nine semester hours of graduate-level courses (numbered 500 and above) may be taken for undergraduate credit.
4. Under no circumstances may these courses be used for a future graduate degree program.

Regulations governing graduate course offerings for graduate credit are as follows:

1. The student must be of senior classification. Applicant must have a GPA of 3.00 or higher if a first semester senior; applicant must meet admission requirements to Graduate School if a second semester senior.
2. The student must have applied for admission to the School of Graduate Studies and met admission requirements to the School of Graduate Studies.
3. The student must have fulfilled the course prerequisites.
4. The student must have filed an application for graduation in the Office of the Registrar prior to enrolling in graduate-level courses for graduate credit.
5. The student may enroll in a maximum of five graduate-level courses for graduate credit. Exceptions may be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Regulations regarding bridge course offerings for integrated degree programs are as follows:

1. The student must be of senior classification. Applicant must have a GPA of 3.00 or higher if a first semester senior; applicant must meet admission requirements to Graduate School if a second semester senior.
2. The student must have applied for admission to the School of Graduate Studies and met admission requirements to the School of Graduate Studies.
3. The student must have fulfilled the course prerequisites.
4. The student must have filed an application for graduation in the Office of the Registrar prior to enrolling in graduate-level courses for graduate credit.
5. The student may enroll in a maximum of five graduate-level courses for graduate credit. Exceptions may be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

 Variable Credit Courses

Courses with a variable credit designation (e.g., Music 599, Seminar in Music [1–3, repeatable to 6]) may be taken for a different number of credit hours. Students should consult the course instructor or the department offering the course to determine the number of semester hours for which they may register. A variable credit course cannot be taken again unless it is clearly designated as repeatable.

 Withdrawal Policy

A symbol of “W” on a student transcript indicates official withdrawal from a course. A student may withdraw from a course during the first 10 weeks of a semester. After the first 10 weeks, individual courses may not be dropped. For academic courses of an irregular length, the withdrawal date shall be 0.6 of the length of the course. Once final examinations have begun, a student may not withdraw from that term except for exceptional and documented reasons.

It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from a class using their STARS account. Any request for a late withdrawal must be submitted in writing with appropriate supporting documentation to the Graduate Council.

The full policy may be found online at wiu.edu/policies/withdraw.php.