FSU School of Information Satisfactory Progress Policy (revised November 2012)
In order to meet the standards adopted by Florida State University and the School of Information, all graduate students must maintain Satisfactory Progress as defined by the University and The School of Information.
Minimum Grade and Grade Point Average Requirements: All graduate students must meet the cumulative grade point requirement in accordance with the graduate retention policy of FSU and achieve and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to remain in good academic standing.
- Students must earn a grade of “C-” or higher for all courses to be applied toward the master’s or specialist degree.
- Students must earn a grade of “B” or higher for all courses to be applied toward completion of a Certificate.
Incomplete Grades
A student may not have more than two incomplete grades at any given time. Students who receive two or more incomplete grades posted to their permanent record will have an academic hold placed on their registration and will not be permitted to continue enrollment for the subsequent semester until the incomplete grades have been resolved. Students who have previously registered for a future semester with two or more incomplete grades posted must resolve the outstanding grades prior to the first day of the next semester of enrollment or their registration will be administratively cancelled.
Multiple Withdrawals
When a student has withdrawn from the University three or more times, subsequent readmission will first be considered by a committee whose charge is to assess the student’s capability of making satisfactory progress toward degree. This committee, appointed by the Council of Associate and Assistant Deans, will then make a recommendation to the dean of the student’s college, who will make the final decision.
Academic Probation and Dismissal
All graduate students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to remain in good academic standing. Grades earned at another institution cannot be used to improve a grade point average or eliminate a quality point deficit at FSU. If the cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 at the end of one semester, the student will be placed on academic probation by the University. If the cumulative grade point average at the end of the next semester of enrollment returns to 3.0 or higher, the academic probation will be removed by the University.
If the cumulative grade point average remains below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters, the student will be academically dismissed by the University and notified by email from the Registrar’s Office. A statement of Academic Dismissal will appear on the student’s academic transcript.
If a student is academically dismissed from the University, the student may petition to request reinstatement. Students must submit a written statement explaining the circumstances leading to the dismissal and what action is planned to return to good academic standing if reinstated. The Director of the School of Information in consultation with the CCI Academic Dean of the College must approve reinstatement. Because of the time involved, a student who has been academically dismissed may have to “sit out” one semester. Failure to meet the requirements of satisfactory progress and academic good standing may result in the discontinuation of enrollment in the graduate program. All students who do not meet academic satisfactory progress standards, and who are able to document mitigating circumstances such as a medical issue, death in the family, or other significant event that interrupted or disrupted academic progress, may appeal the discontinuation of enrollment. A written appeal must be submitted to iSchool Student Services for processing and review by the School of Information Director and should include documentation, where available, to substantiate the circumstance.
This is the official University record of academic regulations, policies, and procedures.
FSU Student Handbook
This is the official University record of the student conduct code, student rights and responsibilities, campus activities and services, and student organizations. It is available online at: https://dos.fsu.edu/resources/student-handbook/.
Required First Day Attendance Policy
University-wide policy requires all students to attend the first day of class meeting of all classes for which they are registered. Students who do not attend the first class meeting of a course for which they are registered will be dropped from the course by the academic department that offers the course. This policy applies to all levels of courses and to all campuses and study centers. It remains the student’s responsibility to verify course drops and check that fees are adjusted.
Recency of Work
The work for the master’s degree must be completed within seven years from the time the student first registers for graduate credit. Any graduate work transferred from another institution must have commenced not more than seven years prior to completion of the degree for the credits to be applicable to the master’s degree
Taking Time Off
The University allows students to take a semester break between semesters of enrollment. Students who miss two or more consecutive semesters will be inactive and need to apply to the University and the School of Information for readmission.
Transfer Credit
Transfer of courses not counted toward a previous degree from another regionally accredited graduate school is limited to six semester hours and transfer of courses not counted toward a previous degree within Florida State University is limited to twelve semester hours, except when the departmental course requirement exceeds the thirty-two hour University-wide minimum requirement. In the latter case, additional transfer credit may be allowed to the extent of the additional required hours. In all cases, the majority of credit must be earned through Florida State University or its official consortial institutions. All transfer credit must: l) be recommended by the major department; 2) be evaluated as graduate work by the evaluation section of the Office of Admissions of Florida State University; and 3) have been completed with grades of 3.0 (“B”) or better. Grades earned at another institution cannot be used to improve a grade point average or eliminate a quality point deficiency at Florida State University. Any graduate transfer credit must commence not more than seven (7) years prior to completion of the degree for the credits to be considered and applicable to the master’s or specialist degree. The University does not accept experiential learning, or award credit for experiential learning. Transfer credit based on experiential learning from another institution will not be accepted. To request consideration of a course for transfer, complete the online Graduate Transfer Credit Request Form.