Florida Institute of Technology

Academic policies are published in the Graduate Policy Manual, which is available for reference and photocopying in the Evans Library, in each academic unit office and on the Florida Tech Web site at www.fit.edu/AcadRes/graduate.

The university operates on the semester basis. Each semester is normally 15 weeks in length, but may vary slightly, without loss of academic time, to meet conditions at off-campus sites. Semesters are designated fall, spring and summer; however, a site may have to conduct more than one session during a given semester to accommodate students in scheduled military courses and degree completion programs.

The credit-hour value for each course normally represents by the number of class meeting hours per week. There may be exceptions to this general rule. Course descriptions should be consulted for the credit hours of specific courses.

The university reserves the right to cancel classes for which there is insufficient enrollment, to close a class when the enrollment limit in that class is reached and to make any schedule changes as necessary, including a change in time, days, credit or instructor.

Each student is assigned a faculty adviser in his or her major academic unit at the beginning of the first semester of attendance. The adviser monitors the student’s academic progress toward a degree. A conference is held with each student prior to registration to ensure that courses are scheduled in proper succession, that all relevant academic policies are adhered to, and that the schedule best serves the academic needs of the student. The faculty adviser is available throughout the academic year for consultation by appointment.

All courses taken at Florida Tech are indicated on the student’s transcripts. A request for a transcript must be made in writing to the Office of the Registrar, Records Division along with the appropriate fee.

Graduate work is evaluated by letter grades, with only grades of A, B, C and P being credited toward graduate degrees. Grades of D and F are failing grades in graduate school. Failed courses must be repeated at the earliest opportunity, if they are required courses. An elective course in which a D or F is received must be repeated unless otherwise approved.

When Pass/Fail (P/F) grading is used, the total credit hours earned increases without having any effect on the cumulative grade point average (GPA) if a grade of P is earned. Whereas, no credit hours are earned and the GPA is adversely affected in the case of a grade of F, just as with any other F. Pass/Fail grading is used only for certain seminar-format courses and for master’s theses.

The basic requirement for receiving any master’s degree is a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale where A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1 and F=0. The GPA is based on the student's program plan. Prior to submission of the program plan, the GPA will be based on all graduate-numbered courses taken at Florida Tech, with the exception of any that may previously have been used to satisfy the requirements of a bachelor's degree.

In cases where the degree-related GPA referred to above does not include all graduate courses taken at Florida Tech, an overall GPA will also be calculated and reported. Courses used to compute the overall GPA, but not the program GPA, include courses taken as deficiencies, courses unrelated to the student's degree program, courses taken prior to a change of major and courses taken in satisfaction of the requirements of a previously earned graduate degree. Courses related to the degree program that are taken in excess of degree requirements are normally included in the program plan. It is not possible to delete a course from a program plan once the course has been taken, although an exception is made if the "statute of limitations" is exceeded, at which time it is dropped from the program plan and from both the program and overall GPAs. Courses are not otherwise dropped from the overall GPA except by special action of the Graduate Council Committee on Standards following a change of major. If no degree was earned in the first major and the courses are clearly not applicable to the new major, the Committee can approve deletion from the overall CGPA.

Grades of S (Satisfactory) and U (Unsatisfactory) are used as progress grades in thesis, dissertation, research and internship, and as final grades in some zero-credit seminar courses. They are similar to grades of P and F except that they carry no credit, and S grades (when used as progress grades) may be replaced at any later time by credit-carrying grade of P. U grades remain on the transcript permanently, but like grades of S they do not affect the grade point average.

Both the overall GPA and the applicable program GPA must be 3.0 or greater for any master’s degree to be awarded.

At the close of the term, the Office of the Registrar notifies each student by mail of grades earned during the semester. These grades become a part of the student's official record and are not subject to change without authorization by the head of the academic unit responsible for teaching the course. Grade appeals must be submitted in writing by the student concerned to the director of their local site.

A master's student must continue to demonstrate academic proficiency in course work and must show reasonable progress toward the 3.0 grade point average (GPA) required for graduation. Failure to have the minimum GPA specified below will result in academic probation. A student on probationary status will be informed in writing of the conditions of his or her probation. Failure to satisfy the conditions of probation will result in dismissal following the probationary semester.

A master's student must continue to demonstrate academic proficiency in course work and must show reasonable progress toward the 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) required for graduation. Failure to have the minimum GPA specified will result in academic probation.

Students who have transferred credits from another institution will be permitted to complete nine semester hours of graduate work at Florida Tech before evaluation of the GPA. After completing nine semester hours at Florida Tech, the student must meet the above standards for total semester hours completed (Florida Tech credits plus transfer credits) by using Florida Tech's GPA.

A graduate student with fewer than nine semester hours of graduate courses, but nine or more credit hours of undergraduate courses taken while enrolled as a graduate student at Florida Tech, must maintain a 3.0 average in these undergraduate courses. Failure to maintain this average will result in probation. Upon completing nine credit hours of graduate courses, the graduate GPA will take precedence in dismissal evaluations.

In addition, the following conditions will result in the academic dismissal of a student:

In all cases of academic probation and dismissal, the student will be so notified by the Office of Graduate Programs. The academic dismissal can be waived for educationally sound reasons. A letter of appeal requesting reinstatement should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Programs. The student will be allowed to continue attending classes pending action on his or her appeal. If the appeal is denied, or if no appeal is submitted within the time period specified in the dismissal letter, the student's registration will be canceled and further class attendance will not be permitted.

Student conduct that violates the legal or ethical standards of the university may result in mandatory withdrawal from all classes and denial of permission to register in future terms for either a definite or indefinite period of time. Examples of misconduct include cheating, plagiarism, knowingly furnishing false information to the university, or forging, altering or misusing university documents or academic credentials.

An I is given when a course cannot be completed because of circumstances beyond the student's control. The I indicates that course work is qualitatively satisfactory and there is reasonable expectancy that completion of the remaining work would result in a passing grade. The instructor must provide a statement of the work to be completed to the head of the academic unit. The student must complete the work at the earliest possible time but prior to the beginning of the seventh week of the following semester, unless an earlier deadline is established at the time the I is recorded and the student is notified of this fact. A waiver of the six-week limitation requires special written permission of the dean. The I will automatically become an F in the seventh week unless an approved waiver has been filed with the Office of the Registrar.

To add or drop a course, or to withdraw from the university, a student must complete a Change in Registration/Status form. Students withdrawing from the university are asked to complete an exit interview in the student's Site.

Failure to attend classes or verbal notification to instructors does not constitute an official drop or withdrawal. Students who drop or withdraw without filing the proper form will receive a failing grade of F. When a student drops a course on or before the last day to do so, as shown in the Academic Calendar, the course will not appear on the permanent academic record. After this date, a W will appear on the permanent record for each dropped course. The W is not punitive and is not utilized in the computation of grade point averages. The last day to drop a course without receiving a failing grade is published in the Academic Calendar for each off-campus site.

Course Requirements Course requirements are stated in each master's degree program description. The stated minimum credit hours can include any or all of the following, subject to academic unit approval and specific restrictions stated in the Graduate Policy Manual:

Up to 12 semester hours of credit transferred from a regionally accredited institution or, in some cases, from a foreign university; or, in the case of a partner institution in a joint-degree or dual-degree program with Florida Tech, up to one-half of the total minimum credit hours.
Up to six semester hours of credit for 3000- and 4000-level undergraduate courses taken at Florida Tech while enrolled in the Graduate School.
Credit previously used to meet the requirements of another master’s degree at Florida Tech may be used to meet up to one-half the credits required for the later degree.
With Graduate Council approval, credit in excess of the seven-year "statute of limitations " if grades of A or B were earned, course content has not changed significantly since the course was taken and current mastery of the course material is demonstrated.
Academic credit applied toward the requirements of a bachelor’s degree at Florida Tech or elsewhere, may not be used in any graduate program at Florida Tech, regardless of the level of the course.

Admission to University College does not imply that courses taken by the student will be credited toward a degree. No commitment in this matter is made until the student is admitted to candidacy for a degree. A master’s student becomes a degree candidate by satisfying all of the following requirements:

Each master's-level graduate student is required to have an approved program plan on file no later than one month prior to the time that nine semester hours of graduate courses have been completed.
Only one program plan can be in effect for a student at any given time.

Request for change of a program plan must be submitted through the student’s site director for approval by the academic unit head or his/her designated representative. Students should not deviate from an approved program plan prior to obtaining approval of the change.

A student wishing to change his or her major must complete a Request for Change of Major form and submit it to the Florida Tech site. A program plan for his or her new major must accompany the request for change.

The academic unit responsible for the new program has the prerogative to accept or reject the student, as well as to designate what courses are germane to the new program. All courses that are determined by the academic unit to be applicable in the new program must be included in the program plan. Because the student is changing programs, the number of courses in the plan may be more than the minimum required for graduation. The student will not be considered as enrolled in the new program until all actions above have been completed.

Directed study is a means of allowing a student to register for a course during a semester when it is not included in the Schedule of Classes. To enroll in a directed-study course, a Request for Directed Study Course form should be initiated and approved according to form instructions. Approval is at the discretion of the dean, academic unit head or program chair responsible for the course, and normally requires evidence of a compelling need by the student. The student should submit the approval form to their site during early registration. The tuition rate for a directed-study course is the standard undergraduate or graduate rate, plus an additional directed-study fee (see "Tuition and Fees").

If the courses constitute a logical part of the student's program, up to a maximum of 12 semester hours of transfer credit from regionally accredited institutions may be transferred to Florida Tech (for one master's degree only), under theses conditions:

The courses must be eligible for graduate credit at the institution where they were taken, and not previously applied to any undergraduate degree.
They must have been graded courses, and grades of at least B or equivalent must have been earned in each course.
They must have been taken not more than six years prior to the student's first enrollment at Florida Tech.
All course work (including transfer credit) must be completed within seven years of elapsed time.
Subject to approval of Academic Unit head, and the Director, Graduate Programs.

Courses that have been applied toward a graduate degree at another institution may also be considered for transfer credit if they satisfy these criteria. Transfer credit from foreign universities will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Transfer credits are not included in the computation of grade point average.

Some courses presented by certain military schools, plus the regular courses of the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, have been evaluated by Florida Tech and specific courses found acceptable for transfer to designated degree programs without charge to the student. Up to a maximum of 12 such credit hours may be transferred provided at least a B or its equivalent was earned in each course, and provided the same time limit as for university courses is met. Information concerning the specific courses found acceptable and the Florida Tech equivalents is available from University College in Melbourne.

The combined total credit hours transferable from other university courses and from designated military schools may not exceed 12 credit hours.

No transfer credit will be granted for correspondence courses. Military courses must have been taken at an approved school. Off-site military courses do not normally qualify for transfer credit.

Requests for transfer of credits must be filled out on the forms provided and submitted to the site director.

Transfer requests will not be evaluated until an officially certified transcript is received and until the applicant has been admitted to University College.

Approval of a request for transfer credits does not indicate acceptance of those credits in a degree program.

Where a joint-or dual-degree program exists within another institution, up to one-half of the total credits required in the program may be transferred from the partner institution, provided the courses at that institution are periodically reviewed and monitored by the dean of the appropriate college or school, or other graduate council representative. In each individual joint- or dual-degree program, the total transfer credits will be established prior to announcing the program or admitting students, and may be smaller than half the required credits if circumstances warrant. It is also noted that transfer credits from other institutions are not permitted in the case of a joint- or dual- degree program.

Permission to take a course at another institution for transfer to Florida Tech subsequent to being admitted to the Florida Tech Graduate School must be obtained from the academic unit head prior to taking the course.

A final program examination is required for master’s degree programs with the exception of those in the College of Business and University College for which there is no on-campus counterpart.

Students in certain Extended Studies graduate programs are generally expected to undergo the required final program examinations. Permission to follow a thesis in lieu thereof must be requested in writing through the site director/faculty adviser to the academic unit head. If granted, the thesis policies expressed in University Catalog must be followed.

All graduating students must file petitions for graduation no later than the dates shown in the Academic Calendar; otherwise late fees apply. This date is during the first part of the semester preceding the student’s final semester. Petitions can be obtained at the student’s site office. If the student does not graduate at the time anticipated, he/she must re-petition for the appropriate semester. A second payment of the graduation fee is not required, but the student may be required to pay for a replacement diploma.

A seven-year statute of limitations will be in effect on all work applied toward a master's degree at Florida Tech. All course work, transfer credit and thesis research, including the thesis defense or final program examination, must be completed within a time span of not more than seven years.
The academic unit head may approve a waiver of the statute of limitations for up to six credit hours of course work taken at Florida Tech or elsewhere. Conditions apply:

A student seeking a second master's degree from Florida Tech must enroll in the programs sequentially, not simultaneously. Following admission to the first program, the student may at any time thereafter apply for admission to an additional program. If accepted into the new program, actual enrollment in that program will take effect upon completion of the first master's degree.

With approval of the academic unit head, credit for nonthesis or nondegree projects used previously to meet requirements for a master’s degree at Florida Tech may be used to meet up to one-half of the credits required for a subsequent master’s degree. The academic unit head will decide, on a per-course basis, the applicability of each course to be transferred to the second program. The final program, including those courses transferred, must be approved by the academic unit head of the program in which the student wishes to enroll. At least one-half of the coursework leading to any master's degree granted by Florida Tech must have been taken at Florida Tech, but never applied to any other degree.

The overall cumulative GPA carried on the transcripts will include all courses for all graduate degrees. A notation will be made of the program GPA compiled for each degree, which will include only courses that were applied to the respective degree. Neither degree will be awarded unless both the program GPA compiled on the basis of only those courses applied to that degree, and the overall cumulative GPA are at least 3.0.

The Title IX Coordinator is the person designated by the university whose function is to ensure that the university is in compliance with federal laws regarding the resolution of allegations regarding sex discrimination. This individual has the added responsibility of ensuring compliance with all federal laws regarding equal opportunity.