Graduate Policies and Procedures

A Graduate College Academic Appeals Board will be appointed and given authority to hear all appeals involving qualifying examinations, non-thesis examinations, General Examinations, theses and dissertations and other appropriate matters as determined by the Dean of the Graduate College.

The only issues to be resolved are those of prejudiced or capricious evaluation, or alleged inability to speak the English language to the extent necessary to adequately instruct students.

Complete information about Graduate College academic appeals may be obtained from the Graduate College Academic Appeals Guidelines and the Student Code, Title 14.

The Academic Appeal Process

The student is responsible for notifying the instructor of any dispute that meets the above criteria. If the student's attempts at resolution with the instructor fail, the student should immediately notify the Graduate College of the potential Academic Appeal immediately to make an appointment to discuss the matter.

Time limits

• In cases of end-of-term evaluations, a student must notify an instructor of a dispute regarding an academic evaluation and must attempt to resolve differences no later than Feb. 15 for the previous Fall semester or intercession, and no later than Sept. 15 in cases of end-of-term evaluations for the previous Spring semester, Spring intersession or Summer session.
• In cases of an evaluation made known to a student during the term, the student must notify an instructor of a dispute regarding an academic evaluation and must attempt to resolve differences no later than 15 calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and university holidays from classes) after the results of an evaluation are made known to the student.
• If a student fails to notify an instructor or fails to attempt resolution within the appropriate time limit, the panel will deny any request for a hearing on the claim unless, in the view of the board, the student has been prevented from complying with the appropriate time limit (for example, a student being called into military service).

When a potential Academic Appeal is brought to the attention of the Graduate College, the following steps will be taken:

• An attempt will be made to resolve the problem with the department.
• If the matter is not resolved in conference, the student will be briefed on the procedures for filing an Academic Appeal.

Appeals must be filed in writing in the Graduate College office. The written appeal should state: 

• the action being appealed
• the individual(s) responsible for the action under appeal
• the basis for the appeal
• the relief sought by the student

Time limits

• A written appeal must be filed as soon as possible, but in no event later than 10 calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and university holidays from classes) following the day when attempts at resolution are completed.
• The board will deny any request for hearing on a claim that does not meet this deadline unless, in the view of the board, exceptional circumstances exist whereby the student is prevented from filing a claim.

We are committed to making its activities as accessible as possible. The college and the university provide a range of special services for those with disabilities. Any student in an OU College of Professional and Continuing Studies course who has a disability that may prevent her or him from fully demonstrating her or his abilities should contact LaDawn Jones as soon as possible to discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and to facilitate their educational opportunity.

Email  LaDawn Jones

Adding a Course Enrollment After the Term Starts

Students can Add a course up to the end of the free Add/Drop period. The Add/Drop period is the first week of the course for 8 week courses and the first two weeks of the course for 16 week courses. No courses can be added after the last day of the Add/Drop period each term. 

Withdrawing From an Eight-Week Course

Free Drop Period (Week One)

No grade is recorded if a student drops within one week after the course begins. Students must drop the course using the online enrollment system. Note: Notifying the faculty member of intent to drop/withdraw will not result in a student drop/withdrawal. Student is not responsible for tuition and fees if the course is dropped within one week of course start date. After the first week of the course, no refund will be given and the student is responsible for paying all tuition and fees for the course.

Withdrawal (Weeks Two through Six)

A grade of W (withdraw) will be assigned. Students must notify the New College Program Staff of the withdrawal depending on their program of study. Note: Notifying the faculty member of intent to withdraw will not result in a student withdrawal. Student is responsible for all tuition and fees. No refund will be given.

Withdrawal (Weeks Seven through Eight)

A grade of A-F, W (Withdraw), or I (Incomplete) will be assigned for the course if student is enrolled and has submitted coursework. A student may not withdraw from a course without approval from the faculty member two weeks before the end of the course. Within the two-week period, the faculty member will have at his/her discretion the following options regarding the student's assignments:

1. Grade the remaining course work and assign a final grade;
2. Arrange an alternative deadline for an Incomplete; or
3. Grant the student's request to withdraw from the course. In all cases, students are instructed to contact their advisor in writing of their intent in the course.

Student is responsible for all tuition and fees. No refund will be given.

Withdrawing From a 16-Week Course

Free Drop Period (Weeks One and Two)

No grade is recorded if a student drops within one week after the course begins. Students must drop the course using theonline enrollment system. Note: Notifying the faculty member of intent to drop/withdraw will not result in a student drop/withdrawal. Student is not responsible for tuition and fees if the course is dropped within two weeks of course start date. After the first two weeks of the course, no refund will be given and the student is responsible for paying all tuition and fees for the course.

Withdrawal (Weeks Three through Twelve)

A grade of W (withdraw) will be assigned. Students must notify the New College Program Staff of the withdrawal depending on their program of study. Note: Notifying the faculty member of intent to withdraw will not result in a student withdrawal. Student is responsible for all tuition and fees. No refund will be given.

Withdrawal (Weeks 13 - 16)

A grade of A-F, W (Withdraw), or I (Incomplete) will be assigned for the course if student is enrolled and has submitted coursework. A student may not withdraw from a course without approval from the faculty member two weeks before the end of the course. Within the two-week period, the faculty member will have at his/her discretion the following options regarding the student's assignments: 1) Grade the remaining course work and assign a final grade; 2) Arrange an alternative deadline for an Incomplete; or 3) Grant the student’s request to withdraw from the course. In all cases, students are instructed to contact their advisor in writing of their intent in the course. Student is responsible for all tuition and fees. No refund will be given.

Retroactive Withdarwal

If you need retroactive withdrawal from a course, please download and complete this form, and contact your academic advisor.

OU Academic Calendar

Financial Aid Students

Dropping or withdrawing from a course may have an effect on your Financial Aid. Contact Financial Aid before you drop or withdraw from a course after the term has started. 

Email: pacsfinancialaid@ou.edu

Phone: (405) 325-2929.

There are limits on how many credit hours a student may enroll in each semester, without permission of the student's dean. These limits are listed below:

• Fall/Spring: nine hours
• Summer: six hours

Exceeding these enrollment limits will be considered if the student has a retention combined GPA of 3.00 or higher. Academically it is recommended that students take no more than six hours Fall and Spring and three hours in the Summer. We have found that for working adults who are juggling responsibilities of work, family and other commitments, this load of six hours Fall and Spring and three hours in the Summer is the academic load that allows each student to do their best in each class and not be overburdened by adding extra work to their lives.

For sufficiently extenuating circumstances a student may request a grade of "I" and receive additional time beyond the course end date to complete the course. To receive a grade of "I" the student must satisfactorily complete a minimum of one-half of the course work, have a legitimate reason for not being able to complete the work during the normal time frame, and request a grade of incomplete by contacting their faculty member prior to the end of the term.

If the faculty member approves your request, they will submit an Incomplete Grade Contract which will list what must be done to complete the course, and will set a time limit appropriate to the circumstances. If by the end of the contracted date to complete the course, no change in grade has been submitted, the grade of "I" will be changed to the pre-determined permanent grade on the Incomplete Grade Contract. For example, if the faculty member lists a grade of D on the incomplete contract, and you submit no further work by the deadline set by your faculty member, your I-grade will be changed to a grade of D.

An enrollment stop is placed by the College of Professional and Continuing Studies on any graduate student who accumulates two active "Incompletes." This stop will be removed when the student has completed all of the open "I" graded courses or has only one open "I" graded course remaining open. Removal of the enrollment stop is administered by your Academic Advisor and is based upon the completion rate of "Incomplete" courses.

A student receiving an "I" grade who is not enrolled in any other courses in the next two terms is not considered an active student by the University and can be dropped from the degree program.

(Revised 01/12/2015)

Eight-Week Courses (Summer): A full refund will be given if withdrawn before the end of the first week of class. After the end of the first week, no refund will be given.

Five-Day On-Site Seminars (When Available): After the seminar begins, an 80% refund will be given if the student withdraws before the end of the first day. A 50% refund will be given if the student withdraws before the end of the second day. No refund will be provided after the end of the second day.

16-Week Courses (Fall and Spring): A full refund will be given if withdrawn before the end of the second week of class. After the end of the second week, no refund will be given.

1.1 BASIC PRINCIPLE OF HONESTY

Honesty is a fundamental precept in all academic activities, and those privileged to be members of a university community have a special obligation to observe the highest standards of honesty and a right to expect the same standards of all others. Academic misconduct in any form is inimical to the purposes and functions of the university and therefore is unacceptable and rigorously proscribed.

1.2 DEFINITIONS

1.2.1 Academic Misconduct. Any act that improperly affects the evaluation of a student’s academic performance or achievement. The following terms illustrate but do not delimit or define academic misconduct.

1. Cheating: the use of unauthorized materials, methods, or information in any academic exercise, including improper collaboration;
2. Plagiarism: the representation of the words or ideas of another as one's own, including:
   1. direct quotation without both attribution and indication that material is being directly quoted, e.g. quotation marks;
   2. paraphrase without attribution;
   3. paraphrase with or without attribution where the wording of the original remains substantially intact and is represented as the author's own;
   4. expression in one’s own words, but without attribution, of ideas, arguments, lines of reasoning, facts, processes, or other products of the intellect where such material is learned from the work of another and is not part of the general fund of common academic knowledge;
3. Fabrication: the falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise;
4. Fraud: the falsification, forgery, or misrepresentation of academic work, including the resubmission of work performed for one class for credit in another class without the informed permission of the second instructor; or the falsification, forgery or misrepresentations of other academic records or documents, including admissions materials and transcripts; or the communication of false or misleading statements to obtain academic advantage or to avoid academic penalty;
5. Destruction, misappropriation or unauthorized possession of university property or property of another;
6. Bribery or intimidation; 
7. Assisting others in any act proscribed by this code; or
8. Attempting to engage in such acts.