Graduate Quarter Programs Selection Criteria
The quarter program is an accelerated evening program specifically designed for students with significant employment experience. Graduate students are challenged to expand their knowledge with exercises, techniques, and instruments to update and reinforce learning and enhance understanding of difficult concepts. In addition, students continue to develop their analytical and conceptual skills by enlarging their perspectives and identifying a balance between theory and practice with regard to their particular areas of study. At the completion of the program, students will be prepared to contribute to their organization’s goals by effectively administering and developing its resources.
Throughout their course of study, these students will have the opportunity to develop their communication skills, demonstrate workplace responsibility, use interpersonal skills, practice working within a team, and develop an appreciation of the importance of continuing growth and education with an emphasis on values-centered thinking. Students are encouraged to engage in speculative thinking and to develop original work and/or research in their major areas of interest. This work should be analytical rather than descriptive, demonstrating a distinct, defensible, methodological and theoretical perspective.
Admission to all graduate programs in the School granted to students who demonstrate academic preparedness and the potential for academic excellence. Once accepted, students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Students whose GPA falls below the 3.0 minimum will be subject to academic probation or suspension, as outlined in the Academic Standards section of this catalog. For more information about academic standards, please refer to that section of the catalog.
Applicants to the graduate degree programs in business, communications, gerontology, healthcare administration, and human resource management who do not meet the required 3.0 grade point for admission may be granted conditional acceptance. In this case, the submission of a GRE or GMAT score may be considered in support of an application for admission. Conditionally admitted students may remain in conditional status for no more than 18 credit hours. Before advancing to degree candidacy, conditionally accepted candidates’ academic performances will be reviewed twice—once upon completion of the first nine credit hours and again upon completion of 18 credit hours. Failure to meet the required 3.0 cumulative grade point average upon the completion of 18 credit hours will result in dismissal from the degree program. In addition, any conditionally accepted student receiving one course grade of “F” or two course grades of “C” during the first nine credit hours will be academically suspended.
Students are assigned a faculty advisor to guide them through their specific degree program. Each degree program is designed to meet both student needs and accreditation requirements. Consequently, students may not deviate from any cluster requirements. Degree programs typically consist of five core clusters, and either a directed thesis/ culminating project or a capstone course. Students may, however, take additional clusters or courses to meet individual needs once their core requirements have been met.
Any application materials found to be misleading or false will result in denial of admission.