Graduate Academic Policies

Academic Integrity

Candidates must accept the responsibility to be honest and to respect ethical standards in meeting their academic assignments and requirements. Integrity in academic life requires that candidates demonstrate intellectual and academic achievement independent of all assistance except that authorized by the instructor. The use of an outside source in any academic assignment, paper, report, or submission for academic credit without the appropriate acknowledgment is plagiarism. It is also academically dishonest to submit anything in electronic form as one’s own, that is, the work, either fully or in part, of someone else. It is unethical to present as one’s own work, the ideas, words, or representations of another without the proper indication of the source. Therefore, it is the candidate’s responsibility to give credit to any quotation, idea, or data borrowed from an outside source. Candidates who fail to meet the responsibility for academic integrity subject themselves to sanctions ranging from a reduction in grade or failure in the assignment or course in which the offense occurred to suspension, dismissal, or expulsion from the University. Candidates penalized for failing to maintain academic integrity who wish to appeal such action may petition the department chair for a hearing on the matter. View the Pace University Academic Integrity Code (PDF).

Summary Of Criteria For Program Continuation, Completion, And Eligibility For Teacher Certification

Becoming a teacher is a complex process. Once admitted, teacher candidates must demonstrate success in each of the essential aspects of the teacher preparation program:

• understanding the theories and instructional practices presented in coursework;
• demonstrating the knowledge base of the program in coursework and examinations;
• evidencing the dispositions required for teaching.

While successful teachers merge theoretical understandings and skills of practice in their classrooms daily, candidates preparing to be teachers must sometimes demonstrate their knowledge and skills separately. It is possible to be successful in coursework and not in student teaching, or the reverse, or to be successful in both but not demonstrate the dispositions required to teach. Since teachers must be strong in knowledge, skills, and dispositions, candidates must demonstrate their abilities in educational theory and practice as well as their content knowledge in the liberal arts and their certification area(s). Prior to student teaching, all candidates must take the Content Specialty Test (CST) in their certificate field(s). In student teaching, the components of content knowledge, educational theory, practice, and appropriate dispositions are combined. Successful completion of student teaching and passing scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) are required before a candidate is eligible for certification.

Success in coursework is defined as:

• An overall GPA of 3.0
• A grade of "B" or better in each education course

Success in student teaching is defined as:

• Meeting the performance indicators for student teaching as defined on the assessment matrix.
• A grade of "P" in student teaching.
• A positive recommendation from both the Pace supervisor and the mentor teacher.
• A passing portfolio as defined in the portfolio guidelines.

Success with the NYSTCE is defined by the scores established by New York State:

• Content Specialty Test (CST) in the certificate field(s)
• Educating All Students (EAS)

Academic Standards

For students matriculated spring 2019 and earlier

Candidates are expected to attend every session of every course. Any absences can affect a grade. It is imperative to speak to the instructor if there are any questions about attendance or extenuating circumstances.

Every graduate candidate is required to earn a "B" or better in each education course for which she/he registers and maintain a cumulative grade point average of “B” (3.00). Fully matriculated candidates who fail to meet this standard will be placed on academic probation and may not be allowed to register for more than six credits during the probation semester. Depending on the degree of the academic deficiency, the candidate may also be required to repeat courses. Candidates who earn an “F” in an Education course will be placed on academic probation in danger of dismissal and must meet with an academic advisor. Given the urgency of repeating the course as soon as possible, a plan of studies will be determined.

Graduate students enrolled in our traditional graduate programs and who have completed 24 credits in their program, but who have unmet liberal arts and sciences coursework, or unmet coursework in their subject area, will have a registration hold placed on their account and will be prevented from progressing further in their graduate program until those deficiencies have been addressed.

Academic probation is valid for one semester only; candidates who fail to raise their GPA to a minimum of 3.0 after completing the probation semester will be dismissed from the program. Provisionally admitted candidates who do not earn a "B" or better in their provisional semester will also be dismissed from the program. A candidate with a cumulative grade point average below 3.00 is considered academically deficient whether or not they receive written notification of this status. Non-Degree Seeking (NDS) students who earn less than a "B" in their education course(s) will not be allowed to register for additional courses.

For students matriculated summer 2019 and after

Candidates are expected to attend every session of every course. Any absences can affect a grade. It is imperative to speak to the instructor if there are any questions about attendance or extenuating circumstances.

Every School of Education candidate is expected to (1) maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.00, and (2) earn a “B” or better in each education course for which s/he registers. Fully matriculated candidates who fail to meet either of these expectations will be placed on academic probation. Candidates will not be allowed to register for more than six credits during the probation semester. Candidates on academic probation will be prevented from student teaching until the academic probation is removed and will be required to meet with an academic advisor to create a plan of study. If the cumulative grade point average is below 3.00, candidates will be required to retake courses with grades of “B-” or below (or equivalent courses if determined by their adviser) in order to raise their cumulative grade point average to 3.00 or higher. Candidates who earn an “F” in an education course will be placed on academic probation and will be in danger of dismissal from the School of Education. Given the urgency of repeating the course as soon as possible, candidates must meet with an academic adviser to create a plan of study that is approved by the department Chairperson.

Graduate candidates enrolled in our traditional graduate programs but who have unmet liberal arts and sciences course work, or unmet course work in their subject area by the semester before student teaching, will have a registration hold placed on their account and will be prevented from progressing further in their graduate program until those deficiencies have been addressed, pending the approval of the department Chairperson.

Academic probation is valid for one semester only. A candidate is considered academically deficient when the conditions of academic probation are met, whether or not they receive written notification of this status. Candidates who fail to raise their cumulative grade point average to a minimum of 3.00 after completing the probation semester will be dismissed from the program. Provisionally admitted candidates who do not (1) earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 and (2) a "B" or better in their provisional semester will also be dismissed from the program. Non-Degree Seeking (NDS) students who earn less than a "B" in their education course(s) will not be allowed to register for additional courses.

NYCDOE Teaching Fellow candidates are employed by the NYCDOE as teachers of record. Teaching Fellow candidates need to be in good academic standing in order to continue that employment in the DOE. If Teaching Fellow candidates lose their position in the DOE for any reason, they are no longer permitted to continue their Pace University Trans B Teaching Fellow program. This is true regardless of candidates’ academic standing at Pace University.

Academic Review—Department Or School

A candidate who is dismissed for academic reasons may appeal the dismissal within 30 calendar days from the date of the dismissal letter. Candidates may not register for or attend classes while an appeal is pending. The Dean, Tresmaine Grimes, is responsible for deciding the merits of an appeal. The appeal must be in writing and addressed to the Dean. The appeal should indicate in sufficient detail that (1) the candidate’s poor academic performance is due to unusual or non-recurring events, (2) there will be no recurrence of these events, and (3) the candidate has taken or will take appropriate action to ensure that his or her cumulative grade point average will reach the minimum 3.00 in no more than one semester. A candidate may submit additional written evidence or include any other information that may be helpful to the Dean in reaching a determination. The Dean of the School will consider the letter of appeal, any supporting evidence supplied by the candidate, and the candidate’s past academic record in reaching his decision. If the appeal is accepted by the Dean, the candidate will be placed on probation. All decisions made by the Dean are final.

Graduate Grading System

A letter grade is awarded as a measure of candidate performance only by the faculty member assigned to a particular course and section. The spectrum of letter grades ranges from "A" through "C" and "F"; in addition, certain plus and minus refinements to the letter grades are available to allow faculty greater flexibility in the measurement of candidate performance. Specific grading policies are established by the instructor in a given course. Each letter grade translates into a numerical equivalent or quality point as cited below:

SOE Grading Scale*

* No D's are given in the graduate program

I Incomplete

Used at the discretion of the instructor, the grade of "Incomplete" can be given only in the case of an emergency. “I” becomes a failure, and a grade of “F” is assigned to the course unless removed within six weeks after the conclusion of the semester; candidates with an "F" grade will not be allowed to progress further in the program. If, however, in the judgment of the instructor of the course, deficiencies are so extensive that they cannot be made up within the allotted time period of six weeks, a grade of “F” will be assigned immediately at the end of the semester.

P Pass

Assigned in certain designated courses, candidates receive credits, when applicable, but no quality points are assigned.

K in Progress, grade pending

This grade will be used solely for courses that are part of a multi-course sequence and for courses where completion may extend beyond a six week timeframe. The "K" grade is effective for graduate and doctoral-level courses only.

The quality point average (QPA) is obtained by dividing the total number of quality points by the number of credits completed or attempted at Pace, including a grade of “F” but not grades of “P.” A minimum QPA of 3.0 is required for graduation.

Grade Appeal Process

As a general principle, the instructor has sole authority to establish standards of performance and to exercise judgments on the quality of candidate performance, but in a manner that reflects reasonable and generally acceptable academic requirements. Grades assigned in this fashion are final except as the instructor may wish to review them. No faculty member, administrator, or other individual may substitute his or her judgment of the candidate’s performance for the reasonable judgment of the instructor. Candidates who believe that a final grade received in a course was not determined in a manner consistent with the principle described above may challenge that grade by first arranging, within a reasonable period of time (approximately 10 school days from the time that the candidate knew or should have known of the final course grade), to meet informally with the instructor to establish a clear understanding of the method by which the grade was determined. Every effort should be made to resolve the matter at the level of the instructor and the candidate. Candidates who have difficulty arranging a meeting with the instructor should consult the department chair. If, after the meeting with the instructor, the candidate wishes to continue the grade challenge, the candidate may appeal in writing (with copies to the instructor) within two weeks to the chair of the department. The statement should clearly state the basis for questioning the grade received in the course. It should be noted that if the chair is the instructor, the appeal is to the Dean of the School. The chair’s decision to have a grade reviewed or not is final. If the chair decides that the method by which the candidate’s grade was determined was not proper, the chair will apprise the instructor of the basis for questioning the grade and request that the instructor review the grade. If the instructor, for any reason, does not review the grade, the chair will request that at least one other faculty member qualified to teach the course in question, review the grade. In the process of such a review, the faculty member is authorized to assign a grade change and may, if necessary, require additional examination of the candidate’s performance as a basis for the grade change.

Candidates may, at any point in this appeal process, solicit the advice and assistance of an individual faculty or staff member. This individual’s authority in these matters is limited to mediating the relationship between the candidate and the instructor and/or chair. Change of grades or withdrawals are not permitted once a degree has been awarded.

Repeat Grades

Grades earned in courses that are repeated are averaged in the same manner as that described under the heading “Graduate Grading System,” and all grades remain on the transcript. A candidate may request, however, on a one-time basis, that the repeat passing grade for a course in which the grade of "F" (or "I-F") was originally received be the only grade for the course averaged in the calculation of the QPA. However, both grades (the original "F" and the repeat grade) will be shown on the transcript. Transcripts will be footnoted to indicate that the QPA has been recomputed. Candidates wishing to apply for re-computation of their QPA must file a written request with the Office of the Registrar. (Specific departments may not allow repeat grades.)

Advisement

Academic advisement concerning programs of study, courses, and the relationship of graduate work to career goals is available to all candidates. Upon admission, all candidates are assigned a faculty advisor. It is strongly recommended that candidates meet with their assigned faculty advisor prior to registration. Candidates who progress through the program without the advice of a faculty advisor run the risk of delaying their program completion.

Program Load

Candidates are advised to assume credit and course loads that consider the time and energy demands required for their studies in addition to those imposed by employment and other responsibilities. For example, candidates engaged in full-time employment are advised to limit their program of study to two courses during the fall and spring semesters and one course in each summer session. Candidates may not register for more than nine (9) graduate credits in the fall and spring semesters, or more than two (2) graduate courses per summer session.

All international students studying at Pace University on student visas are required to enroll for and complete a full-time course load each fall and spring semester in order to comply with the regulations of the US Immigration Service.

Course Sequencing

Candidates should normally complete preliminary skills and basic courses before proceeding to advanced courses. Candidates must complete all prerequisites before enrolling in a course. Candidates who have not met the prerequisites may be required to withdraw from classes at the start of the semester. Adherence to prerequisites is an important part of good education. The prerequisite course teaches materials that faculty assume are known by all candidates entering an advanced course. This knowledge will not be taught during the advanced course. Candidates without proper prerequisites will not be prepared for certain aspects of the course and may impede the learning process of candidates who are properly prepared.

Full-Time Status

Candidates are considered full-time if they satisfy one of the following:

1. They are enrolled for a minimum of nine (9) credit hours per semester.
2. They are registered in a full-time academic internship, as verified by the department.
3. They are working full-time on a dissertation and are maintaining matriculation.

In special cases, preparation for examinations, non-credit or remedial courses, practice teaching, clinical practice, research, or other academic activities may be substituted for part of the credit requirement if approved by the School as part of an appropriate plan of study. Candidates following such a plan of study must apply to the chair of their department for full-time certification. It should be noted that in some instances, financial aid and/or housing eligibility may require enrollment in a minimum of 12 credits or the equivalent per semester. Candidates interested in maintaining such eligibility should consult the Office of the Registrar and/or the Office of Campus Activities and Student Development for specific details.

Transfer Credits And Residency

Each candidate must satisfy the residency requirement of Pace University in order to qualify for an advanced degree. For each graduate degree at Pace, candidates are required to successfully complete a minimum of 24 credits in residence at the University. At least 18 credits must be completed at Pace for the Advanced Certificate. Graduate courses from other institutions taken prior to matriculation may be applied toward any master’s degree or doctoral degree, subject to the aforementioned residency requirement and the approval of the department. A maximum of two graduate courses from another institution may be applied toward the master’s degree; a maximum of 3 credits may be applied toward the advanced certificate. The New York State Department of Education requires that Pace University consider grades earned for study abroad as if they were grades earned in residence. This pertains only to courses taken at those institutions with which the University has consortia and contractual agreements. Courses related in content and number of hours to those in the candidate’s program of study may be considered for transfer credit if they have been completed with a minimum grade of “B” at another regionally accredited graduate school within the past five years. Transfer credit may also be granted for graduate coursework completed in an undergraduate program with a minimum grade of “B” at a regionally accredited school within the past five years.

Change Of Pace University Graduate Program

The University recognizes that some graduate candidates may wish to change schools or programs at some point in their studies. Those wishing to do so must meet the admission requirements of the school and program that they wish to enter and comply with the appropriate change procedure as follows:

• To change schools or apply for an additional graduate credential, an “Application for Change of School/Additional Graduate Credential” should be filed with the Office of Graduate Admission.
• To change programs within a school, an “Application for Change of Program” should be filed with the Office of the Registrar.

If the change of school or program is approved, only those credits accepted in the candidate’s new program will be included in the calculation of the quality point average associated with the new program. A change of program into the School of Education requires the permission of the chair or Dean.

Multiple Degrees (Internal Transfer)

Candidates may apply appropriate credits from one Pace graduate degree to another with the written approval of the director of Student Support Services; such credits must have been completed with a minimum grade of “B.” No Pace graduate degree can be earned with fewer than 24 credits distinct to that degree earned in residence at Pace University.

Maintenance Of Matriculation

Matriculated master’s candidates may maintain matriculation in the program during a temporary absence from classes by submitting payment of a matriculation fee for each semester not in attendance (not including summer sessions). Doctoral candidates must maintain matriculation by payment of a fee each semester. Requests to maintain matriculation must be made within the first four weeks of the semester. The matriculation fee entitles the candidates to use the library facilities of the University and to take advantage of the early mail registration for the subsequent term.

Resumption Of Study

Resuming candidates who have not been in attendance for one or more semesters (not including the summer sessions) and have not maintained matriculation nor have attended another graduate institution must apply to the Office of The Registrar and obtain approval from the School of Education at least two months before the opening of the semester. The candidate will be notified in writing whether or not the request for resumption of studies has been approved. In general, the requirements for graduation are those listed in the catalog when the candidate originally enrolled. If a candidate interrupts studies for a period of more than three years, the candidate must comply with the requirements of the catalog in effect when the semester study is resumed. In addition, courses five years or older may not be applied to the resuming candidate’s degree program. Candidates matriculated full-time in a graduate program have five (5) years to complete the degree; candidates matriculated part-time in a graduate program have seven (7) years to complete the degree.

Withdrawal Policy

Candidates receive no credit for courses they discontinue. All withdrawals are subject to the tuition refund policy cited in the class schedule. Withdrawal after the second week of class in a 14-or 15-week semester or its equivalent will result in a grade of “W,” which will not affect the student’s QPA. Withdrawals are permitted prior to the dates indicated below:

• Regular 14/15 Week Semester*—End of eighth week of class
• Two-Track (7 Weeks)—End of second week of class
• Four Week Term—End of second week of class
• Six Week Term—End of second week of class
• Six-Weekend Modules—End of second week of class
• Intensive Weekend—End of first week of class

*A withdrawal during the ninth and tenth weeks of a 14/15-week semester requires the permission of the instructor of the course and the Dean of the School in which the candidate is matriculated.

Candidates who do not withdraw via the web or file for withdrawal with the registrar’s office within these times will continue to be registered for the course(s) and will be assigned an “F” in the course(s) affected if they have not completed the course requirements. Under exceptional circumstances, a candidate may withdraw without academic penalty from a class after the established time limit, but only with permission from the school that administers the candidate’s program in consultation with the school from which the course originates.

Requirements For Graduation

Certain time limits are set for completion of all degree requirements:

• Doctoral Programs—10 years (6 years for advanced level PsyD students)
• Master’s Program—5 years (7 years for part-time students)
• Advanced Professional Certificate Program—3 years

Under extenuating circumstances, a request for an extension of this time may be submitted for consideration by the department chair or dean of the school, dependent on departmental policies. To qualify for a degree or certificate, each candidate is required to meet the course requirements of his or her program of study and satisfy a minimum number of approved courses in residence at the University. In addition, the student must obtain a cumulative quality point average of at least 3.00 in order to graduate. See the front section of the Graduate Catalog for specific requirements appropriate to each degree program.

Pace University Undergraduates In Graduate Courses

Pace undergraduate candidates in their junior and senior years who have a minimum cumulative quality point average of 3.00 may petition to register for a graduate course for which they have the prerequisites. Candidates must receive written permission from the School of Education. A maximum of two courses (6 credits) may be counted toward both the undergraduate and a graduate degree. However, the quality points earned in the course(s) will be calculated only in the candidate’s undergraduate QPA. If the student enters a graduate program in the SOE, graduate courses taken at the undergraduate level must be transferred into the graduate program.