Admission to the Graduate School

Approval for admission to the Graduate School is required of all graduate students. Graduate School admission does not imply admission to candidacy for an advanced degree. Candidacy will be granted only after a period of successful graduate work and after compliance with the conditions and course of study established by the University and its departments, schools, and colleges.

The total enrollment of graduate students is limited. All applications to the Graduate School are subject to whatever provisions may limit the enrollment of graduate students. Admission is granted for not more than one academic year. Students who do not attend the University during the period of their admission or who do not demonstrate an ability to continue graduate work will be notified concerning readmission when a basis for judgment is available. Graduate students, whether living on or off campus, are subject to the general rules and regulations of the University and are expected to maintain the high standard of social and academic life of the University as well as the professional standards of their chosen field of study. Thus, graduate students are subject to all rules and regulations set forth in the Student Handbook, the Graduate Catalog, and the policy statements of the Graduate School and the academic components. All graduate students of the Texas Woman's University are expected to know and adhere to high standards of personal conduct and of academic integrity and scholarship. Any falsification, misrepresentation, or misapplication of information or research; any violation of professional or ethical standards; or any violation of the rules and regulations of the University may result in dismissal.

Application for Admission

Students wishing to apply for admission to a degree program in the Graduate School should submit the completed application form, official reports of GRE or GMAT scores, and an official transcript from each college attended to the Graduate Admissions Office no fewer than ninety days before the session to which admission is sought. Upon approval of the application for admission, the applicant is sent a statement from the Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School specifying either unconditional or provisional admission. All conditions or prerequisites that must be met in addition to the graduate program requirements are stated in detail. Upon notification of admission, the applicant should confer with the appropriate advisor in the proposed major department in order to become acquainted with specific departmental requirements.

Residency

Rules and regulations for determining residence status in the State of Texas are specified under Title 3 of the Texas Education Code. Persons classified as non-resident students upon first enrollment in an institution of higher education are presumed to be nonresidents for the period during which they continue as students. A person enrolled for more than six hours during a long semester or three hours during a summer session is presumed to be in Texas for the primary purpose of attending school.

To petition a change in residency classification, the student must complete the Residency Questionnaire and submit it to the Office of Enrollment Management prior to the beginning of the semester.

General Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School

1. An applicant must hold a bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited by a regional or general accrediting agency, or an equivalent degree from a foreign university or college. The bachelor's degree must be substantially equivalent to a bachelor's degree granted by TWU.
2. An official report of acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required prior to admission to any graduate degree program . (See individual program descriptions in this catalog or consult the department for specific requirements; in some cases, a standardized examination other than GRE may be recommended.)
3. An applicant's academic record (and in certain cases, special test scores) must reflect the ability to pursue advanced study and research. In addition to an acceptable GRE score, a B average on the last 60 hours of the undergraduate degree and on all prior graduate work is expected. An applicant's academic record may be supplemented by additional evidence such as work experience suggesting the ability to succeed in advanced coursework. Individual departments may specify additional requirements. Departmental graduate admission committees will make recommendations to the Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School regarding the admission status of applicants.
4. The applicant shall present an official transcript which, for unconditional admission, shall show sufficient and satisfactory undergraduate preparation in the major field. Specific prerequisites vary among components of the University and are indicated in the appropriate sections of this catalog. Ordinarily, an undergraduate major (or credit for a minimum of twenty-four semester hours, twelve of which are advanced) in the same field is prerequisite to a graduate major; prerequisites for a graduate minor are usually based on the requirements of an undergraduate minor (or credit for eighteen semester hours, six of which are advanced) in the same field. However, a college, school, or department may require a candidate to take additional preparatory courses on either the graduate or undergraduate level which will not be counted as degree credit. Such additional preparation may require residence beyond the minimum needed for the degree.

International Students

Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens will be issued the appropriate immigration form required to obtain a visa after all official papers pertaining to admission and registration have been received and evaluated as satisfactory in the Office of Enrollment Management and after an acceptance letter has been issued by the Graduate School.

Before the I-20 or IAP-66 will be issued, applicants holding nonimmigrant student visas must submit financial statements certifying responsibility for all expenses while attending the University. They must comply with Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations by maintaining full-time student status at all times during the school year (nine or more graduate hours each semester).

In addition to application forms and official transcripts each international student must comply with the admission requirements outlined below:

1. All transcripts of college or university work completed in foreign countries must be sent to the Educational Credential Evaluators, Milwaukee, WI, for evaluation. For details, contact the Office of Enrollment Management, Texas Woman's University, P.O. Box 425589, Denton, TX 76204-3589.
2. All international students, including transfers and resident aliens, must present an acceptable Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 550 or above, or a verbal score of 500 or above on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or a GMAT equivalent to 50th percentile. These scores must be presented to the Office of Enrollment Management by the official deadlines published. (An acceptable Test of Spoken English, TSE, score is required of international students applying for graduate teaching assistantships. Certain academic programs may also require TSE of all applicants.) The following exceptions apply to the TOEFL requirement:
   • Students from countries where English is the primary language of instruction and is the language spoken at home and by the indigenous population.
   • Students who have earned a degree from an accredited United States college or university.
   • Students who are recommended by the Department Chair or Dean for provisional admission because of excellent academic credentials and a minimum TOEFL score of 500. These students will be required to complete with a grade of B or better specific courses in intensive English (6-9 credit hours) for academic credit during their first year at the University. If they are unsuccessful they must fulfill the standard TOEFL requirement for admission or withdraw from the University.

For more information concerning the Test of English as a Foreign Language, contact: TOEFL, Box 899, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, U.S.A. Application deadlines for all international students on nonimmigrant visas are April 1 for the fall semester; August 1 for the spring semester; and January 1 for any summer session. To determine status for tuition purposes, immigrants and permanent residents must submit proof of status by completing the Residency Questionnaire. (See Residency.) All international foreign students are required to have medical and hospital insurance. (See Health Services.)

Types of Admission

A student may be admitted to the Graduate School for one of several types of study as indicated below. The acceptance letter sent by the Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School will specify the type of admission granted.

1. Degree study: This status identifies students seeking either a master's or doctor's degree. Students should apply for admission at the appropriate level. Admission to master's study is valid only for the master's degree; a separate application for doctoral study is required. Students are admitted to degree study in a particular academic discipline, and any change of field of study requires a new application for admission.
2. Certification study: This status identifies students holding the bachelor's degree who seek certification rather than a graduate degree. A maximum of 12 graduate credit hours earned for certification will subsequently apply toward a graduate degree only if the Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of Graduate School, upon recommendation of the student's advisory committee, determines it is appropriate to the degree program.
3. Postdoctoral study: This status identifies students holding doctoral degrees who do not wish to pursue another graduate degree but who wish for personal or professional purposes to take additional course work.

NOTE: Postbaccalaureate status qualifies students to take undergraduate-level courses only, and under no circumstances will postbaccalaureate work be counted as graduate work.

Nature of Admission

Each application which meets the minimum requirements of the Graduate School will be evaluated by members of the appropriate department and by the Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School; it will be accepted or rejected on the basis of the following criteria.

1. Unconditional Admission: No prerequisites are necessary, and no special qualifications must be met during or prior to graduate study.
2. Provisional Admission: Graduate degree study is permitted with the imposition of certain conditions which must be met for the student's continuation in the degree program. These conditions may require the completion of prerequisites, satisfactory performance in initial course work, satisfactory completion of a degree in progress, or the completion of other conditions which indicate the student should continue graduate study. A student admitted with less than a B average is regularly given Provisional Admission, conditioned upon maintenance of a B average during the first twelve hours of graduate study. Once the conditions for full admission have been met, the student should petition the Graduate School through the department for advancement to Unconditional Admission. Failure to meet conditions of admission results in the student's removal from a degree program.
3. Denial of Admission: Admission is denied if the applicant fails to meet the minimum requirements established by the Graduate Council or if the program has reached the limits of its enrollment.

Election of Graduate Work by Seniors of This University

A student who at the beginning of the second semester of the senior year lacks not more than twelve semester hours for a bachelor's degree is permitted to register for courses which may be applied toward meeting the master's degree requirements provided that the total registration does not exceed sixteen semester hours and proper application has been made to the major department and the Graduate Dean before registering for such courses.

No work which is completed by an undergraduate student shall apply to a graduate degree, except for the work completed by seniors as provided for in this section. No work which is regularly a part of an undergraduate program shall apply toward a graduate degree except for Texas Woman's University seniors who have made special application at the time of registration for graduate credit for certain specific courses to be applied toward a graduate program approved by their major department and by the Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School.

Election of Graduate Work by Students Who Are Not Seeking Degrees

Students who do not plan to work toward a graduate degree but who wish to enroll in occasional courses for such purposes as personal enrichment, professional development, and meeting special interests, may, with the permission of the department, register as "non-degree students." Admission to the Graduate School is not required; however, a completed application form and an official transcript showing the bachelor's degree or highest degree held must be filed with the Office of Graduate Admissions.

A maximum of 12 graduate credit hours earned by a "non-degree student" may subsequently apply toward a graduate degree only if the Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, upon recommendation of the student's advisory committee, determines it is appropriate to the degree program.

All students who enroll in graduate courses, whether or not they are seeking degrees, are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA on all graduate-level courses taken at TWU. Students who fail to maintain this average will not be permitted to continue registering for graduate courses.

Grades and Gradepoints

The number of gradepoints given for each grade earned by a student is determined as follows:

Grades are interpreted as: A, Excellent; B, Good; C, Average; D, Inferior but passing; F, Failure; CR, Credit; PR, In progress (normally used for thesis, professional paper, or dissertation); I, Incomplete; W, Withdrew from the course without penalty; WF, Withdrew from the course while failing; X, no credit due to tuition deficiency; ##, grade temporarily missing or not assigned. The letters "DUP" following the grade indicate repeated course work. The higher grade is counted for repeated coursework.

A grade of Incomplete (I) is given when the student has shown good cause for not completing the work by the end of the semester. A student who is entitled to receive a grade of Incomplete must make application for the grade of I to the Dean of the College/School in which the course was taken. A grade of Incomplete must be removed within twelve months following the semester in which the grade of I was granted. At that time, the faculty member who assigned the grade or, in the absence of the faculty member, the department chair is given the option to assign a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F. If no change in the grade is submitted by the faculty member or chair within the year's period, the I remains permanently on the student's record and cannot be altered.

After the first six weeks a student who wishes to drop and to receive a grade other than F must secure a Change In Status form from the advisor, secure the signatures required, and file the form in the Office of the Registrar. The instructor will recommend either a grade of W or a grade of WF on the Change In Status form. Failure to process the Change In Status form will cause the student to receive the grade of F unless illness is the reason for withdrawal. Illness must be verified by a letter from the attending physician.

Student Responsibility

The act of registering denotes an implicit declaration of the student's acceptance of University regulations as outlined in the most recent issues of the catalog and student handbook. Failure to abide by university regulations will subject the student to appropriate disciplinary action as outlined in the student handbook.

The University also expects the student to obey the law, to show respect for properly constituted authority, to perform contractual obligations, to maintain absolute integrity and a high standard of individual honor in scholastic work, and to observe conduct appropriate for a community of scholars.

Health Requirements: Students in Health Related Majors

Students who are admitted to health related programs which involve contact with patients are required to be immunized against measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, and hepatitis B. Proof of these immunizations will be required at the time a student begins clinical coursework.

Some clinical facilities with which the University affiliates require that students be tested for drugs and have a criminal background check done. When this is required by an agency, all students assigned to that agency will have this screening done at their own expense. Failure to meet the screening standards may interfere with the student's progression in the program.

Texas Woman's University does not require HIV testing of its students; however, some agencies with which the University affiliates for clinical training may require such testing. Texas law requires that if a health care worker who is HIV positive performs exposure-prone procedures, the health care worker must notify a prospective patient of the health care worker's seropositive status and receive the patient's consent to perform the procedure.

Withdrawal from the University

A student who finds it necessary to withdraw from all credit classes must formally withdraw through the Office of Student Life on the Denton campus or the Student Life Coordinator on the Houston campus. The withdrawal process at the Dallas Center is initiated in the Records Office. The effective date of withdrawal is the day upon which the student submits the completed Request for Withdrawal Form, and it is approved in the appropriate office. Withdrawals are not permitted during the week preceding the first day of final examinations for either the long session or summer term.

A student who withdraws on or up to the 12th class day will have no record of coursework on the transcript. A student who withdraws after the 12th class day and before the last day to drop without penalty will receive a grade of "W." After the last date to withdraw without penalty, the grade of "WF" is assigned, unless the student withdraws for medical reasons or a "W" is recommended by the instructor.

Policy on Academic Review and Appeal Procedures in the Graduate School of the Texas Woman's University

The review procedures outlined below are those which regularly apply to all graduate students who seek review within the University. The Texas Woman's University has traditionally guaranteed students every opportunity for a fair, prompt, and thorough review of grievances. It is the intention of the University to provide adequate internal review. It is the expectation of the University that students will follow the appeal procedure to completion before seeking external consideration of complaints. Questions concerning academic achievement and progress are addressed for initial consideration to the student's current committee, either advisory or research.

Decisions of the student's committee may be reviewed by an ad hoc committee within the academic component and/or an ad hoc committee of the Graduate Faculty. A graduate student may seek review of a decision by submitting, within thirty (30) days of notification of the initial decision, a written request to the Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, who may appoint an ad hoc committee to hear the appeal of the student and submit a report. The student receives timely written notice of the appeal hearing and has the opportunity to appear before the committee and to make a statement.

If additional review is desired following the appeal before the ad hoc committee, the student, within 10 days, may request in writing a review by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Auditing

Permission to audit a course, undergraduate or graduate, must be obtained from both the instructor of the course and the chair of the department which offers the course, the dean of the school or college, and the Registrar. A student enrolled full-time for credit may audit a course for a fee of $5.00. A student enrolled part-time for credit may audit a course by paying $8.00 per semester hour. A person who is not enrolled for credit in the University may audit a course by paying $8.00 per semester hour. The auditor may not participate in the laboratory part of a course or in a studio, practicum, workshop, or activity course. Attendance as an auditor may not be made the basis of a claim for course credit. Audited courses are not recorded on the student's permanent record. The Audit forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.

Any person 65 years of age or older may audit classes without charge providing there is space available. Information may be secured in the Office of the Registrar.

Graduate Study by Faculty and Staff of the Texas Woman's University

The Texas Woman's University encourages the continual growth and development of faculty and staff. A full-time employee of the University may enroll for a maximum of three semester hours per semester or summer term during the workday. However, no member of the faculty may be admitted to the Graduate School of the Texas Woman's University for the purpose of pursuing a degree in the department or discipline in which he or she teaches.

Information for Graduating Students

The "Calendar of Deadlines" for graduating students is issued by the Graduate School each semester. Students may secure copies in the Graduate Office or in the dean's office of the student's academic discipline. The Guide to the Preparation and Processing of Dissertations, Theses, and Professional Papers is published by the Graduate School and may be purchased in each TWU Bookstore. Copies are also available for reference in the libraries, in the Graduate Office, and by accessing http://www.twu.edu/o-grad/ (the Graduate School website).