Graduate Academic Policies, Procedures, and Programs

Dr. Elane K. Seebo, Vice President of External Campuses and Graduate Services Amanda Stanton, Coordinator of Graduate Records

Programs Offered

The University offers twelve master’s degree programs that lead to the Master of Arts in Counseling, Master of Arts in English, the Master of Arts in History, the Master of Arts in Management, Master of Arts in Religion, the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Christian Ministry, the Master of Divinity, the Master of Education, the Master of Public Administration, the Master of Science in Multidisciplinary Science, and the Master of Science in Nursing. Graduate programs operate within the framework of the University’s mission of integrating faith and learning. Each graduate degree program stresses the development of professional competence as well as the initiative, resourcefulness, and responsibility required of those who desire to become intellectual and professional leaders. Additional information and an application for admission is available at http://www.wbu.edu/academics/graduate_programs/.

Graduate Study

Essential to quality graduate study is careful selectivity in the admission of students. Selective entrance requirements are partly for the maintenance of the high standards which characterize graduate study and partly for the benefit of the student who needs to determine early whether to undertake graduate work.

Since the programs, policies, statements, fees, and/or courses contained herein are subject to continuous review and evaluation, the University reserves the right to make changes at any time without notice. This publication is, therefore, not intended to produce a contract between the student and the University, but rather it is intended merely to supply to the student information available at the time of printing.

Graduate Faculty

All graduate courses are taught by graduate or adjunct graduate faculty. Graduate faculty members must meet qualification requirements as established by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The Graduate Council on an annual basis approves appointments to the graduate faculty.

Affiliation and Accreditation

Wayland Baptist University is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Wayland Baptist University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, and master’s levels. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Wayland Baptist University. The University is also accredited by the State Board for Teacher Certification.

Administration

The vice president of external campuses and graduate services administers the graduate studies program. The Graduate Council is responsible for all policies and procedures related to the graduate program. The Graduate Council implements policies, determines admissions standards, hears student appeals and sets the graduate curricula. The Graduate Council is composed of the deans of each school that routinely offers graduate courses, one external campus executive director/dean that routinely offers graduate courses, and three at-large graduate faculty members, at least one of whom must be from a non-Plainview campus. The vice president of external campuses and graduate services chairs the Graduate Council. The university registrar and the director of university library services serve as ex-officio, non-voting members of the Council.

Responsibilities of the Student

The graduate student accepts full responsibility for knowing and fulfilling all the general and specific regulations and requirements for admission to graduate standing and for completing the chosen program of study. For that reason, it is imperative that the incoming student be familiar with all graduate regulations contained in this catalog, thus enabling the student to complete requirements on schedule and in the manner required. The University and the Graduate Admissions Committee reserve the right to refuse admission or continuation to any applicant whose admission or continued enrollment is deemed to be undesirable.

Admission Procedures

Students desiring to enter the graduate program must submit the following documents:

1. A completed graduate application for admission.
2. An application fee of $50 (non-refundable). Any student who previously paid an application fee for undergraduate or graduate degree seeking status is exempt from this fee.
3. Official transcripts from each institution attended. A transcript is official if received by the Office of Graduate Studies or the external campus office directly from the issuing institution. It must bear the college seal, date, and appropriate signature. Hand-carried transcripts are considered official only if they are presented to Wayland in a sealed letterhead envelope from the issuing institution. If the bachelor’s degree has not been conferred at the time the transcript is sent, an official transcript indicating the completion of the baccalaureate degree must be forwarded after graduation. It is the responsibility of the student to provide official transcripts of all college work completed as of the date of the application. Failure to list all colleges attended is considered grounds for denial of admission into Wayland as well as possible immediate suspension for those currently enrolled at Wayland.
4. Application files will not be evaluated until all of the above requirements have been met.
5. Wayland will consider for admission those students with earned degrees from institutions accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. Students with earned degrees from verified international institutions will also be considered for admission.
6. Students may apply a maximum of four (4) times for admission to the graduate program.

A student who desires to enroll in graduate courses may be admitted to graduate study under one of the following categories.

Degree-Seeking

For degree programs other than the Master of Divinity, the degree-seeking category is available for any student who wishes to pursue a graduate degree, has completed the graduate application process and who meets all admission requirements. A student in this category is eligible to enroll in all graduate courses for which he or she has completed the necessary prerequisites. Application for admission to a specific degree program is made concurrently with application to the Graduate Program. A student who holds a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and meets one of the following conditions is eligible for admission as a degree seeking student in degree programs other than the Master of Divinity. (See Degree-Seeking - Master of Divinity ):

1. Applicants with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on the last 60 graded hours earned at the time of application are guaranteed admission to the graduate program.
2. Applicants with a GPA of 2.70 to 2.999 on the last 60 graded hours earned at the time of application must submit a writing sample approved by the university. The cost for the writing sample is $10 per attempt and must be paid in advance. The writing sample will be available online for 30 days following notification of the student by the graduate studies office. After 30 days, incomplete writing samples will be removed from the online site. An additional fee of $10 will be charged for subsequent attempts. A maximum of four attempts is allowed. Additional instructions will be given to the student by the Graduate Studies Office concerning the writing sample. An average score of 4.0 on the two prompts of the writing sample is required for admission.
3. Applicants with a GPA of 2.50 to 2.699 on the last 60 graded hours earned at the time of application may be admitted on a probationary status. Students under this category must submit a writing sample approved by the university. The cost for the writing sample is $10 per attempt and must be paid in advance. The writing sample will be available online for 30 days following notification of the student by the graduate studies office. After 30 days, incomplete writing samples will be removed from the online site. An additional fee of $10 will be charged for subsequent attempts. A maximum of four attempts is allowed. Additional instructions will be given to the student by the Graduate Studies Office concerning the writing sample. An average score of 4.0 on the two prompts of the writing sample is required for admission. Upon receipt of the writing sample score, the student may be required to participate in an admissions interview. Admissions interviews for external campus students will be arranged by the external campus executive director/dean. Admissions interviews for students on the Plainview campus or in fully on-line degree programs will be arranged by the dean of the appropriate school.
4. Applicants with a GPA below 2.50 on the last 60 hours earned at the time of application will not be considered for admission.

Degree-Seeking - Master of Divinity

The Degree-Seeking - Master of Divinity category is available for students who wish to pursue the Master of Divinity, have completed the graduate application process, and who meet all admission requirements outlined below. Application for admission to the Master of Divinity degree program is made concurrently with application to the Graduate Program. Applicants for the Master of Divinity must have the following:

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
2. 2.0 or better GPA on all undergraduate and graduate hours earned at the time of application. 
3. Letter of endorsement from a Christian congregation in which the applicant is actively involved.
4. One academic and one personal letter of recommendation.

Conditional Degree-Seeking

The conditional category exists for students who wish to pursue a graduate degree but have not met all the admission requirements. Candidates admitted under this category must have applied for degree-seeking status. To be granted conditional degree-seeking status, the applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, submit a completed application for degree-seeking students, pay the related application fee and arrange for official transcripts to be sent to the Graduate Studies Office.

To continue enrollment beyond the first term of attendance, the applicant must be admitted as a degree-seeking candidate prior to the beginning of the next regular academic term of 10 weeks or more. Students in this category may not take more than six semester hours of graduate work and must earn a grade of B or better (‘C’ for Master of Divinity students) in each course attempted. Students will not be allowed to enroll in graduate classes unless all the prerequisites required for the class have been met. (If during the course of the semester of conditional enrollment it is discovered that the student does not meet graduate requirements, he or she may be asked to withdraw from graduate classes.)

Non-Degree Post-Baccalaureate

The non-degree post-baccalaureate category is available to any student who already holds a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and who desires post-baccalaureate work for the purpose of licensure, certifi cation, or personal goals but who does not wish to apply this work toward a graduate degree. International students holding an F-1 student visa are not admitted under this category.

A non-degree post-baccalaureate applicant must meet all the criteria for admissions. Requirements for admission are as follows:

1. To be admitted, non-degree seeking students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher for the last 60 hours of courses completed at the time of application.
2. A non-refundable fee of $50 is required. Any student who previously paid an application fee as with an undergraduate or graduate degree seeking status is exempt from this fee.
3. A completed application for admission. 
4. An official copy of their most recent transcript with the baccalaureate degree posted and an official copy of all transcripts documenting all post-baccalaureate hours completed. (Students pursuing teacher or school counselor certification or educational administration licensure must submit official transcripts from each institution attended.)
5. These documents must be submitted prior to the beginning of the next regular academic term of 10 weeks or more.

Non-degree seeking students whose documents are not completed prior to enrollment will not be allowed to take more than six semester hours of graduate courses in the first term. Students in this category will not be allowed to enroll in graduate classes for which they have not met the prerequisites. If it is discovered that a student is enrolled without meeting the requirements for a non-degree seeking student, the student will be withdrawn from classes.

Admission to a non-degree program is not a guarantee of admission to a graduate degree program at a later date, nor does it guarantee that credits earned in a non-degree program will count toward a graduate degree.

A maximum of 12 semester hours of graduate study earned in this category may be applied to a Wayland graduate degree. The graduate admissions committee must approve the application of non-degree hours to a graduate degree. Leveling work completed by a non-degree student must have a grade not lower than C to satisfy graduate degree requirements. A student may change degree status by filling out the appropriate application and meeting all the requirements for that category.

Five categories of non-degree admissions are available to all students except for certain groups of international visa holders including F-1 visa holders:

1. Certificate or Licensure - students who desire to earn certification through the Don Williams School of Education and Exercise and Sport Science may apply for this type of non-degree status. Graduate courses may be taken, but if students wish to pursue a degree at a later time, only 12 graduate hours completed before admissions to a degree program can be counted toward a degree. Students must also apply to the teacher education program through the Don Williams School of Education and Exercise and Sport Science.

• Educational Administration Licensure - for those students with a valid teaching license and graduate degree and only wish to take the hours required for principalship certification. Financial aid is not available for non-degree students seeking this licensure.
• Health Care Licensure - for those with a baccalaureate or graduate degree who want to take the hours for state licensure in the health care field. Financial aid is not available for non-degree students seeking this licensure.
• Teacher Certification - for those students not currently certified who are seeking teacher certification on the elementary, secondary, or all-level. Students pursuing teacher certification must complete a non-degree seeking application, pay the application fee (if required), and submit official transcripts from every institution attended. Financial aid is available for those who are admitted into both the graduate program and the teacher education certification program. Students should contact the financial aid office for more information.

2. Concurrent - a senior student in the last regular or summer session term of undergraduate work may enroll in up to six semester hours of graduate work, provided that the student has completed an application to the Graduate Program, has a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better on the last 60 hours earned, and has obtained written approval from the academic dean of the school in which the work is offered. With approval from the academic advisor, the student may apply credit for graduate course work to either the undergraduate degree or graduate degree during the semester taken; however, in no instance may credit for course work be applied to both degrees. On external campuses, the advisor must notify the correct administrative office in writing of the appropriate application of credit.
   If the graduate course work is to satisfy undergraduate degree requirements, the student shall be governed by the existing catalog of record. If the graduate course work is to be applied to Wayland graduate degree requirements, the student shall be governed by the current catalog at the time of initial enrollment in graduate course work. Students will not be allowed to enroll in any more graduate classes until admitted and the baccalaureate degree has been posted. Courses taken to be used toward a graduate program may have financial aid implication. For clarification of financial aid contact the campus financial aid representative.
3. Post-Baccalaureate/Post-Graduate - students who have earned an undergraduate or a graduate degree and desire to take only undergraduate leveling courses. Since the undergraduate courses being taken are for leveling prerequisites, students must have a grade not lower than C to satisfy graduate degree requirements. Financial aid is not available for non-degree students in this category.
4. Temporary - students who do not seek a graduate degree, but want to take graduate courses for personal goals/interest, raising their grade point average or continuing professional enrichment development who do not meet any of the previously mentioned categories. Students may only enroll in a maximum of 12 hours while classified as temporary students. Financial aid is not available for non-degree students in this category.
5. Transient - students who need to take a graduate course at Wayland to transfer back to another graduate program. Financial aid is not available for non-degree students in this category.

Applicants who are denied admission as degree-seeking or non-degree seeking status may be eligible for admission as temporary undergraduate for the purpose of raising the grade point average to be admitted to the graduate program at a later date. Students should contact the office of undergraduate admissions for further information.

Additional Requirements for International Students

In addition to the admission requirements stated above, an international student (a student attending Wayland on an F-1 student visa issued by the United States government) must also submit the following to the Admissions Office:

1. Visa Authorization Form 
2. All applicable transcripts - A student must have completed a program equivalent to the baccalaureate degree in the United States. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be provided.
3. It is the responsibility of the applicant to have all transcripts, certificates, or diplomas from institutions outside the United States sent to a credentials evaluation agency for evaluation. A list of agencies may be obtained from the Office of Admissions. This evaluation determines the authenticity of the documents as well as provides appropriate subject identification as well as a GPA calculation (in many instances, this will be termed a “detailed” report). A copy of the results must be sent directly to Wayland from the evaluation service.
4. Language Entrance Exam: International students whose fi rst or home language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum of 61 on the Internet-based test, 173 on the computer-based, or 500 on
   the paper-based test is required for unconditional admission. The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service. A registration form and a “Bulletin of Information for Candidates” may be obtained by contacting ETS through their Web site at http://www.ets.org, or writing to TOEFL Registration Office, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6151, USA.
5. Financial Support Statement: All international students must certify to Wayland and the U.S. Citizenship Immigration Service that the student has sufficient funds available to cover the first two semesters of study while in the United States. A completed Financial Statement form is required for the student file. This form is available on the Wayland web site at http://www.wbu.edu or by contacting the international admissions representative.

For more information, refer to the international website at http://www.wbu.edu/admission/international_students/.

Appeal of Admission Decision

An applicant may appeal an admission decision to the graduate council. The appeal should be routed through the external campus executive director/dean or through the vice president of external campuses and graduate studies on the Plainview campus. Refer to the Wayland Student Handbook for additional information.

Admission to Candidacy

In order to continue beyond one term of attendance of graduate work, a degree-seeking student must be admitted to candidacy. Candidacy will be based upon the student’s demonstrated competency and compliance with University requirements. To be admitted to candidacy by the
Office of Graduate Studies, the student must:

1. Have on file all required admissions documents and be admitted to the Graduate Program. 
2. Have on file an official degree plan approved by the office of graduate studies. 
3. Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (2.0 for Master of Divinity students) in all graduate courses attempted at Wayland.
4. Have no grade lower than C (D for Master of Divinity students) in all graduate courses attempted at Wayland.

Financial Aid for Graduate Students

Graduate student financial aid eligibility is contingent upon the category assigned the student. Programs available for funding of graduate study include the Federal Family Education Loan Program, Federal Perkins Loan Program, Tuition Equalization Grant, Federal Work Study Program, and Institutional Scholarships.

Degree-Seeking

A student in this category who has been granted full admission to the graduate program may be eligible for the programs listed above. Annual loan limits for Direct Loans will be determined by term enrollment. A student enrolled in graduate-level courses is eligible for graduate loan limits. A student enrolled in undergraduate leveling coursework is eligible for fifth-year undergraduate loan limits provided the student has not met their undergraduate aggregate loan limit. For leveling course enrollment, three (3) hours is less than half time, six (6) hours is half time, and nine (9) hours is full time. A period of 12 consecutive calendar months is allowed for completion of leveling coursework imposed by the Graduate Admissions Committee as a degree requirement. Loan limits for students enrolled in graduate and leveling classes concurrently are determined by majority enrollment.

Conditional degree-seeking, non-degree post-baccalaureate or postgraduate students are not eligible for Federal or State financial aid.

Teacher Certification

Non-degree post-baccalaureate students who are enrolled for the purposes of teacher certification may be eligible for Federal financial aid as a fifth-year undergraduate provided the student has not met their undergraduate aggregate loan limit. For teacher certification course enrollment, three (3) hours is less than half time, six (6) hours is half time, and nine (9) hours is full time. These students must be accepted into the graduate program as non-degree seeking students and be fully accepted into the Teacher Certification program in order to receive Federal financial aid.

Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) Ministerial Financial Assistance Program

All Ministerial Financial Assistance recipients must meet the following requirements:

1. Submit a completed application including all necessary documentation.
2. Enroll in one of the following: the Master of Arts in Religion, Master of Christian Ministry or Master of Divinity.
3. Be an active member of a local church affiliated with the BGCT. 
4. Complete RLGN 5330 - Baptist History  unless the student received credit for RLGN 4330  or its equivalent as an undergraduate. 
5. Master of Divinity students will also complete RLGN 5354 /RLED 5354 - Spiritual Disciplines and Christian Spirituality  and participate in spiritual formation small groups.
6. Renew application each academic year.

Enrollment Definition

A graduate student enrolled in graduate level courses (5000 level) in a 16-week term must be enrolled in at least nine (9) hours per term to be considered full-time and six (6) hours per term to be considered half-time. A graduate student enrolled in graduate level courses (5000 level) in an 11-week term must be enrolled in at least six (6) hours per term to be considered full-time and three (3) hours per term to be considered half-time. Undergraduate enrollment definitions will apply to students enrolled in undergraduate leveling coursework and non-degree post-baccalaureate students completing Teacher Certification.

Notification of Rights Under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are as follows:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access.
   
   Students should submit to the registrar, dean of students, external campus executive director/dean, school dean, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The university 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 university 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 are inaccurate or misleading.
   
   Students may ask the university to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the university official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the university decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the university will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her 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 consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
   
   One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting 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 responsibility.
    
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Wayland Baptist University to comply with the requirements of 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 20202-5920.

Graduate Policies and Procedures

Graduation Under a Particular Catalog

Graduate degree requirements are governed by the catalog in effect at the time of a student’s fi rst enrollment in graduate courses (when the student establishes a transcript) or by any subsequent catalog, whichever the student chooses, within a period of seven consecutive years. For degrees other than the Master of Divinity, the seven-year requirement also applies to transfer work. No course work which satisfies degree requirements may be more than seven years old at the time of graduation. Courses applied to the Master of Divinity degree, whether transferred into the program or taken at Wayland Baptist University, will not be limited by the seven-year time limit applied to other degree programs.

Degree requirements must be from one catalog. Unless the student formally requests to change catalogs, the catalog of record will be defined as the catalog in force when the student first enrolled in graduate course work. Requests to change catalogs should be made in writing and submitted to the Graduate Studies Office or the external campus executive director/dean, who forwards it to the vice president of external campuses and graduate studies. In all cases, all Wayland courses taken for graduate credit and to be counted toward the degree must have been completed within the stated time limit.

Continuation in the Graduate Program

An applicant admitted to the Graduate School must enroll within one calendar year of admission. Thereafter, the applicant must reapply for admission. If one calendar year lapses between enrollments, the student will be classified inactive and must reapply for admission. In both cases, the applicant is not required to pay a second application fee.

To continue enrollment beyond the first term of attendance, the student must be admitted as a degree-seeking or non-degree student prior to the beginning of the next regular academic term of 10 weeks or more. Students who have incomplete fi les in the Graduate Studies Office due to lack of transcripts, or other required documentation will be placed on hold and will not be allowed to register for additional course work until requirements are satisfied.

Graduate Degree Plan and Advisement

Academic advisement will be provided for the student by the dean of the school for which the student is enrolled, by a faculty member assigned to counsel graduate students, by assigned counselors at the external campuses or by the Graduate Studies Office. Advisors aid in selecting appropriate course sequences, in registration, in the adjustment to being a graduate student and in dealing with any academic problem that may arise. Students should make appointments to consult with an advisor prior to registration each term.

Once a student has been accepted into the program, the student will receive a letter which informs them of the leveling work that needs to be completed. A copy of the degree plan will be kept in the student’s official file in the Graduate Studies Office. There is no guarantee that courses taken prior to the filing of an approved degree plan will be applicable to the degree program.

Although the University seeks to provide continuing advisement, the ultimate responsibility of knowing and fulfilling degree requirements, listed in the catalog rests with the student.

Change of Address

Any change of a student’s address must be reported immediately to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Change of Degree Program or Specialization

A student may change degree program or specialization by requesting the change in writing to the graduate advisor, who forwards the request to the Graduate Studies Office. The student must meet all admissions and degree requirements which apply to the selected degree program or specialization.

Residence Requirements

Candidates for all graduate degrees must complete a minimum of 24 graduate hours at Wayland Baptist University.

Requirements for the Master’s Degree

General university requirements for the master’s degree include:

1. A minimum of 36 semester hours of approved graduate credit. See degree requirement for specific programs as they may require more.
2. For degree programs other than the Master of Divinity degree, a minimum of 24 graduate semester hours at Wayland Baptist University. For the Master of Divinity degree, students must complete at least one-half of the graduate courses for the degree through Wayland Baptist University.
3. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (2.0 for Master of Divinity) on a 4.0 scale computed on all graduate work taken at Wayland. For degrees other than the Master of Divinity, no grade of less than C and no more than four (4) semester hours with the letter grade of C earned at Wayland will be accepted as credit for any master’s degree. No course with the grade of less than B (C for Master of Divinity) will be accepted as graduate transfer credit.
4. For degrees other than the Master of Divinity, successful completion of a comprehensive examination and/or integrative capstone course, depending on the degree program.
5. Graduates from a master’s degree program are required to complete classes taught by at least four different full-time Wayland instructors during the course of their degree programs. The Graduate Studies Office will make students aware of the requirement at the time of acceptance into a master’s degree program, and it is the student’s responsibility to ensure the requirement is met prior to completion of the master’s degree program in which the student is enrolled.

Second Master’s Degree

A student who already holds a master’s degree and who wishes to receive a second master’s degree must complete all University requirements for the degree, including a minimum of 24 additional semester hours in residence. Except for the Master of Divinity degree, a student may apply up to a maximum of 12 semester hours of related graduate credit from an earlier graduate degree to a master’s degree at Wayland. A student applying to the Master of Divinity degree with a completed master’s degree from another institution may apply up to one half of the hours from the completed degree, and students with a completed master’s degree from Wayland Baptist University have no limit on the number of hours that may be applied from the completed degree. The second degree, however, must be different than the fi rst degree awarded.

Students who are currently pursuing a graduate degree at Wayland must complete all requirements and have applied for graduation prior to the pursuit of a second graduate degree at Wayland. If a student elects not to complete the initial degree and change to another degree program, the Change of Degree form and appropriate fee must be submitted.

College Teaching Credentials

Students seeking a master’s degree for the purpose of college teaching are advised that regional accreditation agencies typically require college teachers to hold a minimum of a master’s degree and 18 graduate hours in the specific teaching discipline. Institutional requirements may vary.

Student Appeals

A basic aspect of the teaching-learning process is the evaluation of student performances and the assignment of grades. Student performance will be evaluated solely on an academic basis, and not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to the course taken. Faculty are responsible for providing syllabi which clearly specify course objectives and/ or competencies, and for making clear the means of evaluation for purposes of grading students.

Students are responsible for class attendance, for learning the content of any course of study and for those standards of academic performance established for a given course. Students who violate academic integrity and regulations by plagiarism, classroom misdemeanor, or academic dishonesty will be held accountable to faculty and may have their grades adjusted accordingly.

Students shall have protection through orderly procedures against prejudices or capricious academic evaluation. A student, who believes that he or she has not been held to realistic academic standards, just evaluation procedures, or appropriate grading, may appeal the final grade given in the course by using the following grievance and appeal procedures. Appeals are limited to the final course grade. Appeals may not be made for advanced placement examinations or course bypass examinations.

Plainview campus, virtual campus, School of Nursing students

The student shall first present, in writing, the matter of grievance to the instructor of the course. This must be done within thirty days after the beginning of the next regular semester. If agreement is reached, the faculty member will either sustain the judgment made or make a change according to the agreement reached.

If the student feels the matter is not satisfactorily resolved at the student-faculty level, students at the Plainview campus should follow these steps:

1. The student shall first present, in writing, the matter of grievance to the instructor of the course. This must be done within thirty days after the beginning of the next regular semester. If agreement is reached, the faculty member will either sustain the judgment made or make a change according to the agreement reached within two weeks.
2. If the student feels the matter is not satisfactorily resolved at the student-faculty level, the student should submit the grievance to the dean of the school in which the course is taught. The appeal must be made in writing within two weeks after the faculty member has acted on the grievance; otherwise, the grievance shall be considered withdrawn. The dean of the school will review all facts and evidence in the case and mediate a decision within two weeks after the receipt of the grievance. If the grievance is not further appealed, it will be considered resolved.
3. If the student is not satisfied, he/she may request the executive vice president/provost to refer the appeal to the university Faculty Assembly Grade Appeals Committee. This request must be made in writing, must include the basis for the appeal, and must be submitted within two weeks following receipt of the decision of the dean of the school.
4. The student or faculty member may appeal the fi ndings of the committee in writing to the executive vice president/provost within one week after receiving the committee’s report. The executive vice president/provost will render a decision within two weeks and copies of such decision will be sent to the student, the faculty member, and the dean of the school involved. This decision shall be fi nal in all cases of grade appeals.
5. Failure to submit grievances within the required time period will negate the student’s complaint. No grievances will be considered after one full term has passed after the student has received the grade in question.

External campus students

If an external campus student feels the matter is not satisfactorily resolved at the student-faculty level, the student should follow the steps below:

1. A student shall first present, in writing, the matter of grievance to the instructor of the course. This must be done within thirty days after the beginning of the next regular term. If agreement is reached, the faculty member will either sustain the judgment made or make a change according to the agreement reached within two weeks.
2. If the student feels the matter is not satisfactorily resolved at the student-faculty level, the external campus student should submit the grievance to the campus executive director within two weeks after the decision by the professor. The external campus executive director will either sustain the judgment of the professor or make a change according to the agreement reached with the student within two weeks. The executive director will notify the appropriate school dean of this decision.
3. If the student feels the matter is not satisfactorily resolved at student-executive director level, the grievance should be submitted to the dean of the school in which the course is taught. The appeal must be made in writing within two weeks after the faculty member or external campus executive director has acted on the grievance; otherwise, the grievance shall be considered withdrawn. The dean of the school will review all facts and evidence in the case and mediate a decision within two weeks after the receipt of the grievance. If the grievance is not further appealed, it will be considered resolved.
4. If the student is not satisfied, he/she may request the executive vice president/provost to refer the appeal to the university Faculty Assembly Grade Appeals Committee. This request must be made in writing, must include the basis for the appeal, and must be submitted within two weeks following receipt of the decision of the dean of the school.
5. The student or faculty member may appeal the findings of the committee in writing to the executive vice president/provost within one week after receiving the committee’s report. The executive vice president/provost will render a decision within two weeks and copies of such decision will be sent to the student, the faculty member, the external campus executive director, and the dean of the school involved. This decision shall be final in all cases of grade appeals.
6. Failure to submit grievances within the required time period will negate the student’s complaint. 

Online Degree Program students

Any students pursuing degrees through Wayland’s on-line programs will follow the appeal process outlined for the Plainview campus. If the student is associated with one of the external campuses, the student will follow the process outlines for external campus students. The process may end at any step if the grievance is resolved or if a party fails to follow the above procedures.

For students attending a campus in the state of Arizona, if the appeal cannot be resolved after exhausting the appeal process, the student may fi le a complaint with the Arizona State Board of Private Post-Secondary Education. The student must contact the State Board for further details. The State Board address is: 1400 W. Washington, Room 260, Phoenix, AZ 85007. Phone: (602) 542-5709; Website: http://www.ppse.az.gov.

Library Services

The J.E. & L. E. Mabee Learning Resources Center offers many services to graduate students including interlibrary loan for materials not available in the Mabee LRC and individual reference conferences. Students may contact the librarians in person, through the toll-free telephone number, or through e-mail. The J. E. and L. E. Mabee Learning Resources Center meets the information needs of students through its print collection, as well as its online full-text databases. The collection includes 131,163 print volumes, 2,661 print and online journals, 3,300 videos, and 3,200 music records and CDs. More than 49,000 electronic books are available through the online catalog. The full-text databases include more than 52,000 online periodicals. In addition to services from the Plainview campus, graduate students attending classes on external campuses have access to libraries in their area through special library agreements. A description of these services is available through the local campus and the LRC Web page.

Internship or Practicum

A student may be required to enroll in an internship or practicum unless acceptable documentation indicates that professional work experience fulfills those competencies established for the internship or practicum. The determination of the appropriateness of substituted work experience rests with the student’s graduate advisor, the dean of the school in which the student is enrolled, and the vice president of external campuses and graduate services. Although appropriate work experience may satisfy the internship/practicum requirement, it will not count toward the total semester hours required for a master’s degree. A student with appropriate work experience should choose, with approval of the advisor, an appropriate elective course that will strengthen the degree plan. Credit for practicum will be on a pass-fail basis.

Research

Although not all graduate programs offered by the university require a thesis, each program involves the student in the use of appropriate research tools and the evaluation of research findings. In addition, graduate faculty are well trained in research techniques and will guide students in developing research skills and respect for research as a means of seeking truth.

Class Attendance 

The university expects students to make class attendance a priority in the graduate program. Faculty members must provide a copy of attendance requirements within one week of the beginning of the academic term. Any student in a program for which an outside agency (such as the Veteran’s Administration) has stricter requirements will be subject to those requirements. The registrar’s office or the external campus executive director/dean will provide each student affected a list of these regulations. Instructors will determine if an absence can be excused.

When a student reaches that number of absences considered by the instructor to be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student and fi le an unsatisfactory progress report with the registrar or the external campus executive director/dean. Any student who misses 25% or more of the regularly scheduled class meetings may receive a grade of F in the course. Additional attendance policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the course syllabus, are considered a part of the University’s attendance policy. Student appeals should be addressed, in writing to the external campus executive director/dean or to the executive vice president/ provost.

Class Attendance -Online

Students are expected to participate in all required instructional activities in their courses. Online courses are no different in this regard; however, participation must be defined in a different manner. Student “attendance” in an online course is defined as active participation in the course as described in the course syllabus. Instructors in online courses are responsible for providing students with clear instructions for how they are required to participate in the course. Additionally, instructors are responsible for incorporating specific instructional activities within their course and will, at a minimum, have weekly mechanisms for documenting student participation. These mechanisms may include, but are not limited to, participating in a weekly discussion board, submitting/completing assignments in Blackboard, or communicating with the instructor. Students aware of necessary absences must inform the professor with as much advance notice as possible in order to make appropriate arrangements. Any student absent 25 percent or more of the online course, i.e., non-participatory during 3 or more weeks of an 11 week term, may receive an F for that course. Instructors may also file a Report of Unsatisfactory Progress for students with excessive non-participation. Any student who has not actively participated in an online class prior to the census date for any given term is considered a “no-show” and will be administratively withdrawn from the class without record. To be counted as actively participating, it is not sufficient to log in and view the course. The student must be submitting work as described in the course syllabus. Additional attendance and participation policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the course syllabus, are considered a part of the university’s attendance policy.

Graduate Courses

Graduate courses are numbered 5000 or higher. Courses at the 5000 level are open only to students with graduate standing and seniors who meet specific criteria. (See below.) 

Undergraduates Enrolled In Graduate Courses 

A senior student in the last regular term or summer session of undergraduate work may enroll in up to six semester hours of graduate work, provided that the student has completed an application to the Graduate Program, has a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on the last 60 hours earned and has obtained written approval from the dean of the academic school in which the work is offered. With approval from the academic advisor, the student may apply credit for graduate course work to either the undergraduate degree or graduate degree; however, in no instance may credit for course work be applied to both degrees.

If the graduate course work is to satisfy undergraduate degree requirements, the student shall be governed by the existing catalog of record. If the graduate course work is to be applied to Wayland graduate degree requirements, the student shall be governed by the current catalog at the time of initial enrollment in graduate course work.

Maximum Course Load

A graduate student may not enroll for more than 12 graduate semester hours in a regular term of 15 weeks or more (or 3 hours in the summer term on the Plainview campus) without the approval of the vice president of external campuses and graduate services. A graduate student may not enroll for more than 9 graduate semester hours in a regular term at the external campuses without the approval of the vice president of external campuses and graduate services.

A student enrolled in nine semester hours in Plainview or six semester hours at Wayland’s external campuses is considered full-time. A student concurrently enrolled in three semester hours in Plainview and three semester hours at an external campus is considered half-time. A student enrolled for three semester hours in a five or six-week term at an external campus is considered full-time. For VA purposes three hours is considered 3/4 time at external campuses. An external campus student enrolled concurrently in three semester hours in a five or six-week term and three semester hours in an 11-week term is considered full-time for the six weeks in which he or she is attending class three times per week, and is considered three-quarter time for the remaining six weeks in which the student is attending class once per week.

Leveling Courses

Every master’s degree program is based on the assumption that the participating student possesses a general college education through the baccalaureate level. Accordingly, the first prerequisite for the entering student is a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (or, for international and special students, proof of equivalent training). In some instances, the Graduate Admissions Committee may require a student to strengthen undergraduate knowledge and abilities or meet specific program prerequisites by transcript evidence, course enrollment, or examination. Such requirements must be completed before the student enrolls in the course for which the requirements are prerequisite.

If a student without adequate preparation wishes to enter a particular graduate program, leveling courses as prescribed by the Graduate Admissions Committee will be imposed as a degree requirement. These courses will be in addition to the 36 hours (or more) required for the master’s degree itself. Leveling courses are not used in calculating graduate GPA. A student must earn a grade no lower than C in any required leveling work unless a higher level is otherwise designated by the academic school. Leveling work completed by a non-degree student must have a grade no lower than C to satisfy graduate degree requirements.

In accordance with University undergraduate policy (see Credit by Examination in the undergraduate section of this catalog) a student may satisfy leveling requirements by examination. Examination scores, from sources such as CLEP or DANTES, used to meet any leveling requirement will not be posted to the graduate level transcript. A graduate course cannot serve as both a leveling requirement and a graduate elective.

Leveling is a firm requirement of the graduate program. Wayland will not accept graduate transfer credit from other institutions unless leveling or prerequisite coursework has been satisfactorily completed.

A student enrolled in undergraduate leveling coursework is eligible for fifth-year undergraduate student loan limits provided the student has not met their undergraduate aggregate loan limit. For leveling course enrollment, three (3) hours is less than half time, six (6) hours is half time, and nine (9) hours is full time.

Transfer Credit

For most degrees, degree candidates may satisfy a maximum of 12 graduate semester hours with approved courses transferred from another institution. Exceptions to this policy are outlined in the specific degree areas. To transfer credit from other institutions, a student must submit an official transcript of the courses to be considered and may be required to submit a catalog description of the course from the institution where the course was taken. To transfer credit, the student must have earned a grade of B (C for Master of Divinity) or higher on the course.

Any course accepted by transfer will carry credit but not grade-point value. Moreover, to transfer credit, the student must have earned a grade of B (C for Master of Divinity) or higher on the course. Transfer work must be received and evaluated for credit at least 30 days prior to the student’s designated date of graduation. Except for the Master of Divinity degree, transfer credit used to satisfy degree requirements must not be more than seven years old at the time of graduation and must not have been used to satisfy undergraduate degree requirements. Courses applied to the Master of Divinity degree, whether transferred into the program or taken at Wayland Baptist University, will not be limited by the seven-year time limit applied to other degree programs.

Correspondence courses and military educational experience (A.C.E. credit) are not accepted for graduate credit.

With proper documentation, up to 12 hours of graduate business course credit may be awarded toward the M.A.M., M.B.A., or M.P.A. degree requirements based upon successful completion and official documentation of Intermediate and/or Senior Educational Levels of the Military Services of the United States of America. 

Portfolio Experience

The university does not award graduate credit for portfolio-based experiential learning. Graduate field experiences which are included as a part of the official degree program must be completed under the direction of university faculty in the student’s field of study.

Advanced Standing Examinations

Advanced standing examinations will not be accepted for graduate credit in degrees other than the Master of Divinity degree. Applicants to the Master of Divinity program who have a bachelor’s degree in religion, religious education or other fields within Christian ministry may request evaluation of transcripts for advanced standing in the Master of Divinity degree. Advanced standing for the Master of Divinity degree is defined as a waiver to take advanced coursework in lieu of introductory coursework. The School of Religion and Philosophy will make the determination relative to advanced standing through evaluation of undergraduate coursework.

Topics Courses

Topics courses emphasize research and case studies dealing with current issues. Such courses may be taken as a class or, with prior approval (see Directed Study) as an individual project. Graduate students may repeat a topics course once for credit as the course topic changes. No more than six hours of topics coursework may be used to satisfy degree requirements.  

Directed Study Courses

Directed study courses may be offered when special circumstances or scheduling conflicts indicate their need. A directed study is any type of study which is conducted under the supervision of a full-time graduate faculty member. The course must not be concurrently scheduled. Credit hours will be awarded for each directed study course as listed in the catalog for regularly scheduled classes. The student must initiate all directed study, and a written summary along with a course syllabus must be submitted to the dean of the appropriate academic school for approval, prior to the academic term for which credit is sought. The student should submit a written request to the school dean during the advisement period. The academic school dean and the vice president of external campuses and graduate services must grant approval prior to enrollment. The student and faculty member will work out the format of each course and will adhere to the following standards:

1. No student may take more than one three-semester hour directed study course per academic term; and no more than six hours of directed study may be applied to a graduate degree.
2. The student’s schedule must allow for an average of three hours of work per week per semester hour, including time spent in meeting with the professor. Meetings must be documented and submitted to the school dean at the end of the academic term.
3. A clearly written understanding must be established between the student and professor concerning the objectives of the study, procedures, reading, written work, travel, and means of evaluation. A written summary of this agreement must be submitted to the school dean prior to enrollment in the course.
4. Additional requirements may be imposed by the academic school.

Course Changes, Drops and Withdrawals

Change of Schedule 

Course(s) may be added to or dropped from a student’s schedule during the time specified in the official university calendar. For the Plainview cam-pus, schedule changes must be approved by the graduate studies office. For external campuses, the executive director/dean or an approved counselor must approve schedule changes. Other regulations related to adding or dropping a course follow:

Adding a Course

To add a course, a student who attends the Plainview campus, or who is classified as an online student, must contact the graduate studies office in order to add additional courses to their schedule. The contact can be made via e-mail confirmation by the student with the following information required: student’s name, student ID number, and course(s) to be added to the schedule. For student’s who attend an external campus, they should contact the campus for the appropriate paperwork. There is no charge for adding a course. Under no circumstance may a course be added after the end of late registration as indicated in the official University calendar.

Dropping a Course

To drop a course, a student who attends the Plainview campus, or who is classified as an online student, must contact the graduate studies office in order to drop courses in their schedule. The contact can be made via e-mail confirmation by the student with the following information required: student’s name, student ID number, and course(s) to be added to the schedule. Student’s who attend an external campus should contact the campus for the appropriate paperwork. A fee of $10 will be charged for each course dropped. A student may drop a course without record through the date indicated in the official calendar for Last Day to Drop Without Record. For courses dropped after that date, the student may receive a W, indicating withdrawal, by dropping the course prior to the Last Day to Drop or Withdraw With a W as indicated in the official calendar.

Students dropping a course after the Last Day to Drop or Withdraw With a W may receive a WP or WF by dropping the course prior to the Last Day to Drop or Withdraw With a WP or WF as indicated in the official calendar. Students dropping courses after that date will receive the grade assigned by the course instructor. A student is officially dropped from a course only after the student has submitted in writing (i.e., via e-mail) a request for drop and the request has been presented to the Business Office, and all necessary fees paid. Failure to notify in writing (i.e., via e-mail) can result in a grade of F in courses affected.

Withdrawal from the University

(Withdrawing from the University is defined as “dropping all courses in which currently enrolled.”) A student who finds it necessary to withdraw from the University must fi le a written request (i.e., via e-mail) to the graduate studies office or with the external campus executive director/ dean by the Last Day to Officially Drop or Withdraw as indicated in the official university calendar. Failure to file this form may result in grades of F in courses then in progress.

A student may withdraw without record through the date indicated in the official calendar for Last Day to Drop Without Record. For courses dropped after that date, the student may receive a W, indicating withdrawal, by withdrawing prior to the Last Day to Drop or Withdraw With a W as indicated in the official calendar. A student withdrawing after the Last Day to Drop or Withdraw With a W may receive a WP or WF by withdrawing prior to the Last Day to Drop or Withdraw With a WP or WF as indicated in the official calendar. A student withdrawing after that date will receive a grade assigned by the course instructor. A student who withdraws from the university according to the procedures stipulated will be allowed a grace period of two working days to rescind the withdrawal. Reinstatement is allowed only during regular class days. Therefore, final examination days and days thereafter are specifically excluded.

Students enrolled on the Plainview campus and who live in student housing who withdraw from the university must have a “Withdrawal Card” appropriately completed with all required signatures.

To receive a refund and/or a transcript, all accounts in the Business Office must be paid. 

Administrative Withdrawal from the University

A student who fails to comply with University regulations may be required to withdraw after university review. In such a case, a W will be assigned for all courses currently in progress. This action will be posted to the permanent record and a statement retained in the academic file.

Auditing Courses 

A student may attend classes for a graduate course without receiving credit if he or she completes a Graduate Application for Admission and a Course Audit Form at the time of registration, and has the permission of both the instructor of the course and either the external campus executive director/dean or the dean of the school in which the course is offered. A fee of one-third tuition in addition to all course fees is required. No credit is awarded and no record of the student’s attendance is maintained. Audits are on a space-available basis and no refund will be given if the course is dropped. Under no circumstance may an audit be converted to credit.

Incomplete or In-Progress Work

The grade of incomplete (I) is granted only in exceptional circumstances and requires the instructor to file the correct form signed by the student with the Office of the Registrar. An outline of the work to be completed and the time span (in no case longer than one regular academic term) allowable for the work’s completion must be included in the form. In no case may repetition of the course be assigned as work to be completed. The grade of IP (in progress) will be assigned to a course indicating that at the conclusion of the term the course was still in progress. If the work has not been completed at the end of the specified time, the I will be changed to an F. A student will not be cleared for graduation until all incomplete grades have been eliminated.

Petition for Course Substitution 

Under certain circumstances, substitutions for required courses may be necessary and appropriate. The student must have approval from the graduate advisor prior to initiating a course substitution. The substitution must be approved by the external campus executive director/dean (if appropriate), the dean of the appropriate school, and the vice president of external campuses and graduate services. Substitutions for core courses are not allowed. Under certain circumstances, up to six hours of substitutions may be allowed in the M.Ed. core. The dean of the Don Williams School of Education may recommend substitutions for required courses for teacher certification, if allowable under state certification policies. The form to petition for course substitutions is available in the offices of the external campus executive director/dean, the academic school deans, or the vice president of external campuses and graduate services. An electronic form is also available from the dean of the respective school, the external campus executive director/dean or the vice president of external campuses and graduate services.

Repetition of a Course 

A graduate student may repeat once any course taken at the University. All grades received will remain on the transcript, but only the second grade will be used to calculate the cumulative GPA. \

A course may be repeated for multiple credit toward graduation only when so designated in the catalog course description and approved by the graduate advisor and academic school dean. In cases where this regulation is violated, only the last effort will be calculated into the GPA.

Course Syllabus 

A course syllabus will be provided to each student on the first day of class. At a minimum, each Wayland graduate syllabus is to include the following elements in the order listed:

1. Wayland Baptist University, campus name, academic school name (e.g., School of Business)
2. Wayland Mission Statement
3. Course Name - alpha, numeric, section, course title (e.g., MGMT 5305-PL01 Organizational Theory)
4. Term
5. First and last name of instructor
6. Office phone and email (home phone and cell phone optional)
7. Office hours, building, and location
8. Class meeting time and location
9. Catalog description
10. Prerequisites
11. Required textbook and resource materials
12. Optional materials
13. Course outcome competencies
14. Attendance requirements
15. Disability statement - In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), it is the policy of Wayland Baptist University that no otherwise qualified person with a disability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the university. The Coordinator of Counseling Services serves as the coordinator of students with a disability and should be contacted concerning accommodation requests at (806) 291- 3765. Documentation of a disability must accompany any request for accommodations.
16. Course requirements and grading criteria
17. Tentative schedule (calendar, topics, assignments) 
18. Faculty may add additional information as desired 

Classroom Disruption

When a student deliberately and maliciously disrupts a class, the student will be directed by the faculty member to leave the class immediately and report to the appropriate school dean or external campus executive director/dean. The school dean or external campus executive director/dean will discuss with the student the cause of the disruption. The student will return to the class only with permission of the school dean or external campus executive director/dean and only after the school dean or external campus executive director/dean has discussed the matter with the faculty member involved and they have reached agreement that the student will be allowed to return to class.

The Grading System 

Grades for courses shall be recorded by the symbols below:

Other symbols used for grading include:

Change of Grade

A change of grade (among the values A, B, C, D, F) may occur only if there has been an error in computation or recording of the grade, or if a change has been ordered as a result of the grade appeal process. A grade may not be changed because of consideration of work completed following the end of the grading period for which the grade was issued. The change is initiated by the instructor of record. For such a change to be valid, it must be submitted to the university registrar on or before the last day of the term following the term in which the grade was originally issued, and on the form provided for that purpose.

Removing the Grade of Incomplete

A grade of incomplete is changed if the work required is completed prior to the end of the next regular academic term, unless the instructor designates an earlier date for completion. If the work is not completed by the appropriate date, the I is converted to the grade of F. An incomplete notation cannot remain on the student’s permanent record and must be replaced by the qualitative grade (A-F) by the date specified in the official university calendar of the next regular term.

Academic Honesty

Graduate students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards of academic honesty. Academic misconduct for which a student is subject to penalty includes all forms of cheating, such as illicit possession of examinations or examination materials, forgery, or plagiarism. (Plagiarism is the presentation of the work of another as one’s own work.)

Disciplinary action for academic misconduct is the responsibility of the faculty member assigned to the course. The faculty member is charged with assessing the gravity of any case of academic dishonesty and with giving sanctions to any student involved.

Penalties that may be applied to individual cases of academic dishonesty include one or more of the following:

1. Written reprimand
2. Requirement to redo work in question
3. Requirement to submit additional work
4. Lowering of grade on work in question
5. Assigning the grade of F to work in question
6. Assigning the grade of F for course
7. Recommendation for more severe punishment (see Student Handbook for further information)

The faculty member involved will fi le a record of the offense and the punishment imposed with the executive vice president/provost. The executive vice president/provost will maintain records of all cases of academic dishonesty reported.

Any student who has been penalized for academic dishonesty has the right to appeal the judgment or the penalty assessed. The appeals procedure will be the same as that specified for grade appeals, see Student Handbook for further information.

Academic Probation and Suspension 

Every student enrolled in the graduate program, whether working toward a degree or not, is required to maintain a high level of performance and to comply fully with the policies of the University. The Graduate School reserves the right to place on probation or to suspend any post-baccalaureate or graduate student who does not maintain satisfactory academic standing or who fails to conform to the regulations of the university. GPA is calculated from the initial point of enrollment in Wayland graduate course work. Leveling courses are not included in calculating graduate GPA. Wayland’s graduate program will honor the probation or suspension imposed by other institutions.

Academic Probation

Except for the Master of Divinity Degree, a student is placed on academic probation when his or her cumulative GPA fall below 3.0 or a grade of D is earned. It is recommended that courses with grades adversely affecting GPA be repeated as soon as possible. A student who is on who is on probation must raise the cumulative GPA to 3.0 or better within the next two terms or the student will be placed on academic suspension.

Academic Suspension

Except for the Master of Divinity Degree, academic Suspension occurs when a student’s cumulative GPA remains below 3.0 beyond the period of academic probation or when a grade of F is earned. In the aforementioned situations, external campus and virtual campus students are required to sit out two consecutive terms of 11 weeks or more (for a minimum of 22 weeks). Plainview campus students are required to sit out one long term. Plainview students placed on suspension during the fall term must sit out the spring term and will be eligible for reinstatement to the graduate program during the summer term. Plainview students placed on suspension in the spring term must sit out the summer and fall terms and will be eligible for reinstatement to the graduate program during the winter online or external term. For the purposes of this policy, the May micro-term is considered part of the spring term and the compressed format summer terms are combined into a single long term.

Academic Probation and Suspension: Master of Divinity Degree

Academic probation and suspension for Master of Divinity students is based on cumulative GPA calculated from the initial point of enrollment in Wayland graduate coursework. A student will be placed on academic probation when the cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. Students on probation will be restricted to four hours (or less, if so advised). A student on academic probation who receives a term GPA above 2.0 but whose cumulative TPA remains below 2.0 will be placed on continued academic probation for the next term. Students in this category will be restricted to four hours (or less, if so advised). A student who fails to attain a term GPA of 2.0 or who fails a course while on academic probation will be immediately suspended from the university. In the aforementioned situations, external campus and virtual campus students are required to sit out two consecutive terms of 11weeks or more (for a minimum of 22 weeks). Plainview campus students are required to sit out one long term. Plainview students placed on suspension during the fall term must sit out the spring term and will be eligible for reinstatement to the graduate program during the summer term. Plainview students placed on suspension in the spring term must sit out the summer and fall terms and will be eligible for reinstatement to the graduate program during the winter online or external term. For the purposes of this policy, the May microterm is considered part of the spring term and the compressed format summer terms are combined into a single long term..

Change of Degree

Graduate students on probation may not change degree programs without a recommendation and special request from the Executive Director/Campus Dean (for external campus students) or the Academic School Dean (for Plainview and Virtual Campus students) to the Office of Graduate Studies. If a suspended student wants to be readmitted to a different program after serving out the appropriate length of time, that student must reapply to the Graduate Program with the application subject to the approval of the Academic School Dean for the program in which the student is applying.

Readmission

After being on suspension status for the designated length of time outlined above, a student must reapply to the graduate program. Each readmission decision is made on an individual basis. If a student is readmitted after being suspended, the student must repeat the work that resulted in suspension during the fi rst available opportunity.  

Minimum Academic Standards for Students Receiving VA Educational Benefits

A student receiving VA educational benefits is subject to the same provisions for academic probation and suspension described above. A student who receives an F or fails to achieve a 3.0 cumulative GPA at the end of the probationary period shall be reported to the VARO as making unsatisfactory progress and may become ineligible to receive further VA benefits until the cumulative GPA is 3.0 or better.

Graduation Requirements

Comprehensive Examination/Capstone Course

A comprehensive examination, oral defense, action research project and presentation, and/or a capstone course covering the student’s program of study must be passed prior to receiving a graduate degree. Students should consult with the appropriate School for information and instructions concerning these requirements. All core courses must be completed prior to taking the comprehensive examination or capstone course.

The comprehensive examination must be taken during the last regular term of study or at the next available testing date after completing graduate coursework. Test dates for the comprehensive examination are available from the graduate advisor or the academic school dean. The examination must be completed, graded, and passed no fewer than 45 days prior to graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to request permission to take and schedule the date for the comprehensive examination.

The specific nature of the examination will be determined by the student’s advisor and members of the graduate faculty teaching in the student’s field of study. The examination will cover all areas included in the graduate program, including core, specialization, and elective courses. Questions over each area will be developed and the responses evaluated by a faculty member assigned to that area.

The academic school dean will inform both the student and the Graduate Studies Office of the results of the comprehensive examination within two weeks of the examination date. The dean of the respective school may, in consultation with appropriate faculty, elect to conduct either an oral or written follow-up examination over an area in which the student’s responses were judged to be unsatisfactory. A student who fails the comprehensive examination may, at the discretion of the academic school dean in consultation with the executive vice president/ provost, be allowed either to retake the examination after thirty days or to complete additional course work and then retake the examination. However, no student will be allowed to repeat an examination more than once without taking additional course work.

Applying for Degrees, Diplomas and Transcripts

Completion of all degree requirements listed in the academic catalog qualifies a student for graduation. To graduate at a designated time, however, the student must apply for the degree prior to established deadlines and pay all graduation fees.

All graduation requirements must be completed before students can participate in graduation exercises. Students who will complete degree requirements during the current term may be allowed to participate in commencement exercises only if the executive vice president/provost grants permission. The appearance of a student’s name on the commencement program and the fact that the student attends the commencement exercises is no guarantee that the degree will be conferred.

A student who applies for a degree and pays the graduation fee for a given commencement, but who fails to meet degree requirements, must reapply for graduation and pay a discounted graduation fee. If a deadline is missed, the student must reapply for graduation no sooner than the next scheduled graduation.

Final official transcripts are issued only upon completion of all degree requirements and payment of all outstanding financial obligations to the university. No transcript carrying graduate course credit will be issued to a student whose files are incomplete for failure to submit transcripts or other data required by the university, or whose financial account is not clear.

The circumstances under which an external campus student may graduate with Plainview are:

1. The student has finished the degree requirements, but will miss the ceremony because of reassignment.
2. The student has finished the degree requirements with transfer work and is no longer associated with an external campus.
3. The student has finished the degree, but missed the external campus deadline.

Any student who does not meet the criterion stated above will be approved on an individual basis. The executive vice president/provost and the registrar must approve all graduate students for graduation.

Letters of Completion

Requests for letters of completion should be made to the Graduate Studies Office.

Career Services

Wayland students on all campuses may request assistance in developing basic job search skills such as interviewing and resume writing by contacting the office of counseling and placement services on the Plainview campus. The office also maintains a job registry to assist students in finding employment.

Commencement Attendance

Candidates completing their work at Wayland Baptist University are required to attend commencement exercises. All degrees conferred will be posted to the student’s permanent record as of the date of the graduation. Appeals to this policy should be made to the vice president of external campuses and graduate services.

Commencement Attendance for Virtual Campus students

Candidates completing their work at Wayland Baptist University through the virtual campus will not be required to participate in, but are strongly encouraged to attend, commencement exercises. All external campuses hold at least one graduation ceremony a year. If a virtual campus student lives near one of the external campus locations or was previously affiliated with a specific campus and wishes to participate in the commencement exercise at the campus, they may do so by applying for graduation by the designated date the campus has established. Students may contact the Graduate Studies Office for a complete list of designated graduation deadlines at external campuses. All degrees conferred will be posted to the student’s permanent record as of the date of the graduation. Appeals to this policy should be made to the vice president of external campuses and graduate studies.

Walk-Only

For external campus graduations, students who are within one term of finishing graduation requirements may, at the discretion of the executive director/campus dean “walk-only” (without having fulfilled degree requirements) at the respective external campus graduation. Students must request in writing to the executive director/campus dean by the deadline issued by the campus for consideration to “walk-only” in a ceremony. Students are allowed to participate in a graduation ceremony only once for each degree.

For Plainview campus graduations, students must contact the office of the registrar by the application for graduation deadline for consideration to “walk-only” in the respective Plainview graduation. Students are allowed to participate in a graduation ceremony only once for each degree.