Evangel University Graduate Studies is committed to helping students fulfill personal and professional goals. To that end, Program Coordinators and Academic Advisors may substitute core course requirements for those that better serve individual student goals. The final authority in determining fulfillment of graduation requirements for graduate degrees is the Academic Council.
Standards of Responsibility. Graduate students are expected to read and comply with printed regulations. Members of the faculty and Graduate Studies Office will advise students, but program requirements will not be waived, nor exceptions granted because a student is unaware of the requirements or policies and procedures.
Students are expected to observe the highest standards of conduct, and they will sign a Lifestyle Covenant Agreement (see Appendix A) affirming their sympathy with and willingness to comply with University standards. Failure to uphold the lifestyle covenant agreement may result in dismissal. Students must assume the responsibility to engage in intellectual study and to comply with all policies and procedures to attain the graduate degree. Evangel University cannot accept the responsibility for the education of any student who is not in sympathy with the purposes and the regulations of the University.
Advancement to Candidacy Status. Students fully accepted to a graduate program must meet specific requirements as defined by their program of study and the Graduate Studies office.
To be considered for candidacy, students must:
- Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on all 500 and 600 graduate coursework with no more than two grades of C (including + or -).
- Present a clear plan for completing the program to their Academic Advisor for approval.
- Be approved for advancement by their academic advisor. (See specific program requirements).
- Submit candidacy forms, as requested, to the Graduate Studies office. Candidacy forms are available for download on Course Commons or can be obtained in the Graduate Studies office.
Remediation plans are created collaboratively between the student and the academic advisor when candidacy standards are not met. Any appeal to candidacy decisions should follow the academic appeal process as outlined below.
Appeal Process. A student in the Graduate Studies program has the right to appeal academic or administrative decisions. The first level of appeal is to the person who made the decision. Following this attempt, students with academic appeals should seek resolution within the academic department through the course faculty member, Program Coordinators or Department Chair depending upon the origin of the decision being appealed. Appeals based upon administrative issues should be pursued through the Academic Advisors. Matters still under dispute may then be formally appealed in writing within one week of being notified of a decision to the Director of Graduate Studies. The director may decide on the appeal or refer the matter to the Graduate Studies Council. Responses to the appeal generally will be provided within one week unless referred to the Graduate Studies Council. In those situations, a response will be provided following the meeting of that group.
When resolution is unsuccessful at one level, appeals should be directed to levels higher in the organizational structure than where the decision was rendered, implying a faculty member decision will be appealed to the program coordinator. The chain of academic authority at Evangel University is as follows: Faculty Member or Academic Advisor - Program Coordinator - Department Chair or Director of Graduate Studies - Provost.
Graduate Transfer Credit. The Program Coordinator may approve transfer of graduate credit hours required in the student’s program from another accredited institution. Evangel University reserves the right to accept or reject any course for transfer. Courses considered for transfer credit must:
- Have been taken for graduate credit
- Be applicable toward the degree being earned at Evangel University
Transfer policies may vary for individual programs. Individual graduate program requirements are listed below.
Course Repetition. A student must repeat any graduate course taken at Evangel for which a grade of D or F is received when the course is part of the student’s approved program. If a student makes less than a B in a course that is in the student’s approved program, that course cannot be dropped from the approved program of study.
Probation Policy. Students whose cumulative GPA drops below 3.0 while they are in the graduate program, or who fail to meet standards established by their program in other facets of the curriculum, or who receive three C grades in their coursework, will be placed on probationary standing.
Students with a GPA below 3.0 are not eligible for advancement to candidacy.
Upon completion of the following three conditions, the student will be eligible for a return to regular standing:
- If the student’s GPA drops below 3.0, the student must bring their cumulative Evangel graduate GPA up to the 3.0 level, or above, within one year. No more than two courses for which a C was earned can be included as part of the degree.
- If the student has a deficiency in another aspect of the curriculum (e.g., practicum or internship performance, summative assessment performance, psycho-social proficiencies) the student must address the deficiency identified by the department and receive the recommendation of the program faculty and coordinator to return to regular standing.
- Student will meet with the program coordinator for a progress evaluation conference to determine continuation in the program.
The probationary period is an opportunity for a student to address the issues that brought about the probation. Failure to do so will result in the student’s dismissal from the program. The student’s probationary status will be reviewed at the end of each semester.
Seniors and Graduate Study. A senior undergraduate student who is enrolled in sufficient coursework to complete the requirements for the bachelor’s degree may enroll with the approval of the Program Coordinator in courses for graduate credit, provided the student’s total enrollment does not exceed seventeen semester hours or six semester hours in a summer term. A maximum of 12 credits from the graduate courses may be applied to the undergraduate degree. After graduation, and upon acceptance into a graduate program, these same credits may also be applied toward the appropriate graduate program.
Time Limits For Master Programs. All degree requirements must be completed within five years from the date of admission. Time spent on leave of absence is included in the five-year time limit for the completion of the master’s degree. A student who interrupts the sequence of study may be subject to changes in requirements when returning. Transfer credits must be completed within the five-year statute of limitations.
Changing Programs. Students wishing to change their program of study must fill out a Program Transfer Approval Form. This form requires signatures from the current academic program advisor and the new academic program coordinator. The student will also be required to attach a current transcript and a Statement of Purpose that aligns with the request. When a student transfers from one program to another, they will apply for candidacy either when they have completed 15 credits at Evangel University or after one semester (minimum of 6 credits) in the new program.
Withdrawal from the Graduate Program. A student considering withdrawal from the Graduate Program must first have a conference with the Program Coordinator or Academic Advisor. If a student finds it necessary to withdraw from the Graduate Program during a regular academic term, official withdrawal from all classes must be processed. The Adult and Graduate Studies Official Withdrawal form can be obtained from the Graduate Studies Office.
When the required signatures are secured, the completed form should be returned to the Graduate Studies Office within 3 business days of the official date of withdrawal. Students who do not officially withdraw from classes will be administratively withdrawn by the Graduate Studies Office.
Failure to withdraw officially may lead to future problems in transferring units to other graduate institutions or when applying for readmission. Students who follow the proper procedures in withdrawing due to justifiable personal circumstances will be classified as having withdrawn in good standing. The tuition refund policy will be observed in cases of official withdrawal from the Graduate Program.
Leave of Absence from the Graduate Program. Students who find it necessary to interrupt the regular sequence of enrollment are expected to file notice of an official leave of absence to ensure proper communication between the student and the Graduate Studies Office. Forms for this purpose are available in the Graduate Studies Office. Time spent on leave of absence is counted in the five-year time limit for graduate coursework. A student is held responsible for academic regulations and program requirements in effect at the time of entrance, provided the student maintains continuous enrollment. A student who interrupts academic enrollment is subject to the academic regulations in effect at the time enrollment is resumed.
Readmission. Students who have been absent from their Graduate Program for two or more consecutive semesters must apply for Readmission to the Graduate Office. All returning graduate students are subject to new graduation requirements that are in effect at the time of their readmission.
Comprehensive Examinations. Required by the Counseling program only. Comprehensive examinations will be administered once each semester, including summer and must be written in entirety during one session. If a student fails any portion of the comprehensive exam during the first attempt, he/she will pay a retake fee equal to the current rate of 1 credit hour tuition corresponding to their program and must rewrite an entirely different and equally comprehensive exam during the second sitting. More than two attempts to pass comprehensive exams must be approved by the Graduate Council.
Comprehensive Exam dates will generally be offered the 4th Friday of March, 1st Friday of August and the 2nd Friday of November. Please check with your respective department for exact exam dates and times.
Doctoral Dissertation. A research-based dissertation is required for completion of the Doctor of Education degree. The traditional method for reporting doctoral research results is a five-chapter dissertation. The dissertation research is the study of a problem of practice that impacts education. The five-chapter report manuscript is prepared by the doctoral candidate under the supervision of the dissertation advisor. It is approved by the dissertation committee and serves as the culminating project to complete the Doctor of Education degree.
Grading
Each course earns one grade, combining the results of class work, research, and examinations. Grades are reported to students at the end of each semester. Only final semester grades become part of a student’s permanent record. Grades are indicated by letters, with the following value in honor points given to each:
Meaning of Grades
|
Grade |
Significance |
(Per hour of credits) |
|
A |
Excellent |
4.0 |
|
A- |
|
3.7 |
|
B+ |
|
3.3 |
|
B |
Good |
3.0 |
|
B- |
|
2.7 |
|
C+ |
|
2.3 |
|
C |
Average |
2.0 |
|
C- |
|
1.7 |
|
D+ |
|
1.3 |
|
D |
|
1.0 |
|
D- |
Passing |
0.7 |
|
F |
Failure |
0 |
| XF | Failure Due to Academic Dishonesty | 0 |
|
I |
Incomplete |
0 |
|
AU |
Audit |
0 |
|
W |
Withdrawal |
0 |
|
WP |
Withdrawal Passing |
0 |
|
WF |
Withdrawal Failing |
0 |
| P | Passing | 0 |
| S | Satisfactory (Doctoral only.) | 0 |
| U | Unsatisfactory (Doctoral only.) | 0 |
Quality Points. An incremental, cumulative grade point average is required of students attending EU. To graduate, an undergraduate student must achieve at least a C (2.0) average.
The minimum cumulative grade point averages required are determined by the number of GPA hours, as indicated by the following scale:
|
Semester Hours |
Minimum Required GPA |
|
1-29.5 |
1.50 |
|
30-44.5 |
1.70 |
|
45-59.5 |
1.90 |
|
60+ |
2.00 |
Incomplete Grade
An Incomplete (I) grade may be granted as a temporary final grade when a student is unable to complete coursework by the last day of class because of illness, accident, death in the family, or other satisfactory reason. To be eligible, a student should have completed at least 70 percent of the course requirements and have an overall passing grade for the completed coursework. Students who do not meet these requirements should contact their advisors to discuss the possibility of withdrawing from the course.
Students must complete and sign the Incomplete Grade Request Form and submit it to the course instructor. Instructors may approve or deny the request and may request documentation. The approved, completed form must be fully signed and submitted to the Registrar for entry of the I grade. All incomplete coursework must be completed and the I grade cleared by the following deadlines:
- Doctoral students: Incomplete grades must be cleared within 45 days following the last day of the semester.
- Master students: Incomplete grades must be cleared within 90 days following the last day of the semester.
Some Incomplete grades may be extended to be cleared later than the above deadlines because of exceptional circumstances, but such exceptions are only granted on a case-by-case basis with the Registrar.
An Incomplete grade that is outstanding after these deadlines will be changed to an F grade or the grade designated by the professor.
*For Incomplete dissertation and doctoral final exam preparation courses, faculty will record an S (Satisfactory) or U (Unsatisfactory) grade based upon the students' progress. Once the coursework has been completed, a final grade will be assigned.
Withdrawal Grades
Students may withdraw from a class and receive a W with no GPA penalty through the end of week 9. During weeks 10 through 14, withdrawal requires either WP (Withdraw Passing, no GPA penalty) or WF (Withdraw Failing, counted as an F for grade calculation). No withdrawals are accepted during final examination week.
A student may repeat a course to earn a higher grade (thus, more honor points). For a class to count as a repeated course, the class must be taken both times at EU. In all cases, the grade earned the last time a student takes the course replaces the earlier grade. The record of the previous grade remains on the transcript, but it does not affect the grade point average.
Graduation Requirements
Requirements for graduation with the master’s degree include:
- The satisfactory completion of all courses listed on the student’s approved program.
- A cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher on all graduate courses that are a part of the student’s approved program.
- A cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher on all graduate work completed at Evangel University.
- Completion of the comprehensive examination with scores stipulated by the department (for the Counseling program).
- Completion of a research thesis, project, dissertation or non-thesis option as required by the department.
- Candidates must complete the Application for Graduation early in the semester in which all requirements will be completed. Application deadlines are provided in the university's academic calendar.
Students will be considered for graduation when they have met the above requirements and:
- Have completed the Application for Graduation.
- Have paid the graduation fee.
- Have satisfied all financial obligations to Evangel University.
Students completing the Bachelor of Ministry or Bachelor of Theology degree at Alphacrucis College will be granted direct entry into the Master of Organizational leadership at Evangel University. The degree earned is recorded on the transcript at the end of the semester in which all the degree requirements are completed. The last day of the semester as indicated by the academic calendar is the official graduation date. A student’s Cumulative GPA at degree conferral is final and cannot be changed.