General Academic Information - Graduate Studies

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.

Maximum Course Load

A graduate student may not enroll in more than 12 graduate credit hours over two consecutive 8-week sessions without the approval of the vice president of academic affairs.

To be considered full-time for financial aid purposes, a graduate student must be enrolled in a total of 6 credit hours over two 8-week sessions in the same 16-week term (i.e. Fall 1 and Fall 2, Spring 1 and Spring 2).

University’s Graduate Course Load

Students using Ch. 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits must be more than half-time in order to receive the housing stipend. Students using any Veterans Education Benefits from the Veterans Administration must contact the School Certifying Official to determine how their rate of pursuit during an 8-week session of a 16-week term will affect their benefits for Tuition and Fees, as well as their Basic/Monthly Allowance for Housing (BAH/MAH). The BAH/MAH payment will be based on the rate of pursuit according to the VA’s calculations.

*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Definition of Course Modalities

In-person or face-to-face courses are traditional college courses scheduled to be regularly offered in a physical classroom or similar learning space 100% of the time. Each in-person class will provide, at minimum, the following components in the university’s adopted learning management system: the course syllabus, student attendance, and student grades.

Hybrid courses are scheduled to be regularly offered in a mixed modality format with no less than 30% of the course presented face-to-face or in-person. The in-person portion of the class will take place at a regular or set time during the session or term in which it is offered, with the remainder of the class offered online through the university’s adopted learning management system. Hybrid courses must be advertised or listed as hybrid prior to the start of the session or term.

Hyflex courses are scheduled to be regularly offered in-person or face-to-face in a physical classroom or similar learning space 100% of the time but also allow students the choice to join the course through the learning management system’s web conferencing tool (such as Blackboard’s Collaborate), or other approved video conferencing systems (such as Zoom). Each class session is then offered in-person, as well as synchronously or asynchronously online to include equivalent learning activities as determined by the instructor. Hyflex courses will originate from the physical classroom, with all students attending at least one in-person class, preferably the first or second class meeting, to certify it as an in-residence class. Students may then change their mode of attendance according to need or preference as the session or term progresses. Hyflex courses must be advertised or listed as hyflex prior to the start of the session or term. International students or other special types of students may be required to attend hyflex classes in-person in order to meet requirements set forth by the federal government.

Online courses are scheduled to be offered entirely online via the internet, primarily through the university’s adopted learning management system. Online courses may only be scheduled and offered through WBUonline.

Regardless of course format (face-to-face, hybrid, hyflex, or online), faculty members must provide each student a syllabus with a written attendance policy on the first day of class each session or term. It is the student’s responsibility to understand and meet the attendance requirements set forth in the course syllabus.

Administration may alter the above definitions if the need arises.

Change of Address

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

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 WBUonline 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 file 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.

Petition for Course Substitution

Under certain circumstances, substitutions for required courses may be necessary and appropriate. 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. An electronic form to petition for a course substitution is available from the dean of the respective school or the external campus executive director/dean. Graduate substitutions must be approved by the appropriate graduate advisor and external campus executive director/dean (when applicable), as well as the academic dean of the respective school and the director of graduate studies. Only if additional assessment or interpretation is needed will the vice president of academic affairs review the substitution and determine whether final approval is justified.

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 credit hours with approved courses transferred from another accredited institution. Exceptions to this policy are outlined in the specific degree areas, including the Doctor of Management degree which allows candidates to transfer up to two-thirds of the credit hours at the doctoral level. 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 for 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 for 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 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.

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 Christian Studies will make the determination relative to advanced standing through evaluation of undergraduate coursework.

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.

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 academic affairs. Although appropriate work experience may satisfy the internship/practicum requirement, it will not count toward the total credit 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.

Portfolio Experience

The university does not award graduate credit for portfolio-based experiential learning. Graduate field experiences that 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.

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 falls below 3.0 or a grade of D or F is earned. It is recommended that courses with grades adversely affecting GPA be repeated as soon as possible. In cases where the course that is adversely affecting the GPA is available on a yearly basis, the student will be allowed to continue enrollment in the program with the stipulation that the course be repeated the next time the course is offered. A student who is on probation must raise the cumulative GPA to 3.0 or better within the next term or the student will be placed on academic suspension unless otherwise stipulated.

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 second grade of F is earned. In instances where two grades of F are earned in two consecutive 8-week sessions, academic suspension will automatically result. Academic suspension is determined based on grades received during an academic term (e.g. Fall 1 and Fall 2, OR Spring 1 and Spring 2). In the aforementioned situations, students are required to sit out one 16-week 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 in an 8-week session (or less, if so advised). A student on academic probation who receives a term GPA above 2.0 but whose cumulative GPA 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 in an 8-week session (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, students are required to sit out one 16-week term.

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 first available opportunity.