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Graduate Catalog 07-08
Office of Graduate Studies and Extended Education
McKelvie Hall, 102 W. Rosedale Avenue
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2943
fax: 610-436-2763
gradstudy@wcupa.edu
Revised March 2007
Admission
It is the responsibility of students to know and observe all policies and procedures for their programs. The University will not waive a regulation because a student claims unawareness of it. Students should adhere to the dates relating to application for graduation as well as other pertinent deadlines announced by the department or the Office of Graduate Studies and Extended Education.
Students with a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or with equivalent preparation acquired in another country are eligible to apply for admission to a graduate program.
Self-managed applications are available from the Office of Graduate Studies and Extended Education or through the University's Web site (www.wcupa.edu). Students must submit the completed application and supporting documentation directly to the Office of Graduate Studies, including the following:
1. Two official copies of academic records (transcripts) from every college and university attended (except West Chester University). Students should follow the instructions in the application. Note: Applicants to a professional growth program need only submit transcripts from the institution where their highest degree was earned.
2. Three letters of professional recommendation (special form required of M.S.W. applicants).
3. A written statement of professional goals. This statement can be typed or printed on separate paper. Students should include three signed copies. Foreign language candidates must write the statement in the program language.
4. In addition, many programs require a recognized test of scholastic aptitude, e.g., Graduate Record Examination (General and/or Advanced), the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), and/or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). Upon the student's request, test scores are sent by the originating source (e.g., Educational Testing Service) directly to West Chester University.
5. Additional requirements may include the following:
6. Applicants should consult with the graduate coordinator of the primary interest area to assure compliance with admission requirements for a particular degree program.
The applicant is responsible for assuring that the Office of Graduate Studies receives all necessary materials by the recommended application deadlines.
All application materials become the property of West Chester University and may not be returned or forwarded to another institution.
For most of the graduate programs, recommended deadlines for the submission of completed applications are as follows: April 15 - fall semester, October 15 - spring semester, and April 15 for graduate assistant applicants.
Some programs have established different recommended application deadlines. Please see application information under individual programs listed in this catalog.
The application and all supporting credentials should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies by the deadline dates shown above. Late applications will be accepted; however, admission will be on a space-available basis for applicants who meet all other admission requirements. Applicants who have missed the deadline should consult with the graduate coordinator for that program to receive advice regarding the possibility of enrolling as a nondegree student for a maximum of six credits while awaiting action on their application.
Students interested in receiving a graduate assistantship should apply to the Office of Graduate Studies no later than April 15.
All applications are reviewed by both the appropriate department or program and the dean of graduate studies.
The dean will notify applicants of the acceptance or rejection of their applications. If accepted, students must follow all program advising and scheduling policies and procedures. Accepted students should meet immediately with their advisers to outline a program of study.
At the time of acceptance into a graduate program at West Chester University, the student must submit a nonrefundable fee of $100 to reserve his/her admission. This sum is applied toward the student's tuition and/or fees but is nonrefundable should the student subsequently decide not to attend West Chester University. The student's admission is canceled if he/she fails to submit the $100 matriculation fee by the due date.
Admission Requirements for Degree Students
1. Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited in the United States or its equivalent from a school in another country.
2. West Chester University is phasing in new GPA requirements. A minimum 2.80 undergraduate GPA will be required. Some programs may require additional GPA standards. (An "A" equals 4.0.) Provisional acceptance may be possible under some circumstances for applicants who do not meet this standard.
3. Applicants must submit scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) if these are required for admission to the program in which the student wishes to enroll. Applicants to a program with any of the above requirements who have an earned, recognized, post-baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university will have this requirement waived. A student with an earned graduate level certificate from West Chester University (see page 5 concerning certificates), applying to a graduate program, may have the standardized test waived at the recommendation of the graduate coordinator.
4. The department offering the desired degree program must recommend acceptance. Before such recommendation is given, an interview with a faculty member may be required. The applicant also must meet any other additional requirements established for the degree program, including grade point averages that exceed the minimum graduate admission requirements.
5. The dean of graduate studies and extended education must give official acceptance. Only written notice from the dean constitutes approval of admission, not correspondence with a department or an individual faculty member.
6. Space must be available in the program.
7. Requirements to resolve academic deficiencies are to be met prior to registering for graduate courses. Individual departments may have more rigorous requirements.
West Chester University's policy for graduate studies includes that the highest possible grades/test scores do not guarantee admission to graduate school, nor do low grades/test scores automatically disqualify a candidate. Our policy is that no applicant should be admitted unless we expect that applicant to do well enough to graduate and have no serious academic problems.
Note: At the graduate level, West Chester University performs an individualized and holistic review of all applications for admission to the University. Graduate admission decisions are made using a variety of criteria including the undergraduate grade point average, letters of reference, an applicant's goal statement, and where required by the program, standardized test scores, portfolio review of work/life experience, and other similar program-specific requirements. Graduate applications are reviewed by the graduate coordinator for recommendation, and admissions decisions are made by the graduate dean. Individuals who have questions about their admissibility are encouraged to contact the Office of Graduate Studies or the appropriate graduate coordinator.
An applicant who has academic deficiencies may be granted provisional status. The departmental graduate coordinator will specify course work which must be taken to remove such deficiencies and which might not be credited to degree requirements including, if necessary, undergraduate prerequisites. Admission to degree study does not constitute admission to degree candidacy. After a student has satisfactorily fulfilled certain course requirements specified in the degree program and has completed 12 to 15 semester hours of work, the student must apply for admission to degree candidacy.
Policies and Procedures for Graduate Certificate Programs
Definitions
A graduate certificate program is a focused collection of courses that, when completed, affords the student some record of coherent academic accomplishment in a given discipline or set of related disciplines. It is not a degree.
Guidelines
1. Students are awarded a graduate certificate upon completion of a well-defined program of course work within an approved graduate program.
2. The didactic material encompassed within a graduate certificate program may represent a subset or extension of an existing graduate discipline.
3. For a graduate certificate program, the number of graduate credits is expected to range between 12 and 18. The number of credits must be appropriate to the learning objectives and focus of the program.
4. Graduate certificate programs may be at the post-baccalaureate or post-master's level. Post-master's graduate certificate programs must be designated as such.
5. Graduate certificate programs do not include a thesis.
6. All graduate certificate programs will be reviewed within the course of regular graduate program assessment and review.
7. Certificate programs also may be proposed for post-baccalaureate students that consist of undergraduate credit courses, professional credit courses, or noncredit courses; in such cases, the programs will not be considered to have met the standards for graduate certificate programs.
8. With the exception of courses offered in collaboration with another institution or expressly addressed in the certificate program requirements, a majority of credits for the certificate program must be completed at West Chester University. Graduate credits from another accredited institution may be accepted for transfer and are subject to the transfer of credit policy in place with approval of the department and the dean of graduate studies and extended education.
9. Students pursuing a graduate certificate will be required to meet the same admissions and academic requirements as those defined for degree-seeking students (e.g., maintenance of a 3.0 GPA).
10. The title of any graduate certificate program must contain the words "Graduate Certificate Program." Only Pennsylvania Department of Education certification programs may include the word "certification."
11. While the courses in a graduate certificate program may be used as evidence in support of a student's application for admission to a graduate degree program, the certificate itself is not considered a prerequisite, nor is it a guarantee of admission.
Student Eligibility and Admission Criteria
1. Admission criteria beyond the bachelor's degree from an accredited institution will be determined by the department and explicitly stated. In most instances, the undergraduate degree should be related to the certificate program.
2. Each program may set admissions criteria above those required for general graduate admissions to a certificate program (e.g., higher GPA or TOEFL scores, standardized test scores, whether or not certificate courses may be counted towards a related master's degree program).
3. Graduate certificate students are not eligible for graduate assistantships.
Graduate Record Examination and Graduate Management Admission Test
Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are required for many degree programs. The prospective degree student should consult the appropriate program outline and schedule a test prior to matriculation.
Both tests are administered by the Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6004, Princeton, NJ 08541-6004. For current information regarding application materials and test dates, contact the Counseling Center, 610-436-2301. Application forms must be filed with the Educational Testing Service at least 15 days prior to the date of any examination.
The examinations may be taken at any of the testing centers designated by the Educational Testing Service.
Some degree programs require students to take the Miller Analogies Test. Students requiring the test can call 1-800-622-3231.
An undergraduate who has completed 96 credits of undergraduate course work, is in the final semester of work for the bachelor's degree, and has an overall grade point average of at least 3.0 may, with the permission of the dean of graduate studies and extended education, enroll in up to six credits of graduate-level courses. Credits earned may be applied to a master's degree program subject to the approval of the major department.
Graduate students may declare "audit" status in a course through the end of the ninth week of class BUT may only audit one course per semester. Faculty may refuse to grant auditor status. Full-time graduate students have the privilege of auditing without additional charge, provided they obtain approval from the course instructor and the course does not create an overload situation. If an overload results, students are assessed the per credit rate for each credit in excess of 15. Part-time students may audit, provided they obtain the instructor's approval, enroll in the course through the Office of the Registrar, E.O. Bull Center, and pay the regular course fees.
Credit is never given to auditors. The auditor status may not be changed after it has been declared. The grade of Audit (AU) is recorded on the student's transcript. An audited course will not fulfill any requirement toward graduation.
Applicants to a degree program at West Chester who have earned credits through previous graduate study at another college or university may transfer credit under certain circumstances. Application forms for transfer of credit may be obtained in the Office of Graduate Studies. The following conditions are the minimum requirements for acceptance of transfer credit:
1. The credits must have been earned at an accredited graduate school.
2. The courses taken must be approved by the department or program in which the applicant intends to enroll at West Chester and by the graduate dean.
3. The maximum number of credits that may be transferred shall not exceed 20 percent of the total required for completion of the student's degree program, rounded to the next highest three-credit increment.
4. The grade earned for courses to be transferred must be B or better. (An "A" equals 4.0.)
5. An official transcript and a course catalog description or syllabus must be submitted. Transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies by the institution that granted the credits, and they must clearly indicate that the courses to be transferred are graduate courses for which graduate credit was given.
6. The courses for transfer generally must have been taken recently enough to fall within the six-year time limitation.
The Senior Citizen Program allows retired Pennsylvania residents to attend West Chester University tuition free on a SPACE-AVAILABLE BASIS. To qualify, the student must be retired, at least 60 years old, and have been a Pennsylvania resident for at least a year. Students may enroll as either degree or nondegree students and may audit or take courses for credit. The program does not include internships, independent study, individualized instruction, student teaching, thesis, seminar, or any similar course requiring extra faculty compensation for the additional enrollment. All scheduling information is available in the Office of Graduate Studies.
Senior citizen students may not register prior to the beginning of classes. They must attend the first meeting of the class(es) for which they wish to register and obtain the instructor's signature on their schedule, indicating there is space available in the class. They then return their signed schedule, along with a signed Senior Citizen fee waiver form and signed audit form if they wish to audit, to the Office of Graduate Studies. The office then schedules the student and submits the fee waiver form to the Office of Financial Aid.
Admission of International Students
Students from foreign countries may be admitted to the graduate program, provided they meet certain special requirements in addition to the University and program admission requirements. International students, like other out-of-state students, are accepted only when space is available.
Applications and supporting documents must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies no later than March 15 for admission the following fall semester, and September 1 for admission the following spring semester.
Applicants whose native language is not English must submit evidence of satisfactory performance on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to the Office of Graduate Studies and Extended Education before application forms can be processed. A score of 550 is the minimum acceptable score (213 for computer-based exam), although some programs have higher minimum requirements. Information about the TOEFL test, including test dates and locations in foreign countries, can be obtained from the Educational Testing Service, Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, U.S.A. Registration forms must reach Princeton at least five weeks before the test is to be taken.
Applicants who fail to achieve a minimum score of 550 on the TOEFL may be admitted to the English as a Second Language (ESL) program, providing they are otherwise eligible for admission to the graduate degree program to which they have applied. Successful completion of the ESL program will qualify the applicant for subsequent admission to a graduate degree program.
The following information and documents must be filed with the Office of Graduate Studies:
1. A completed application form.
2. An official copy of school certificates and diplomas, showing the date issued for all work done beyond the elementary level.
3. Official record of the TOEFL score sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies by the Educational Testing Service.
After the application and supporting documents have been reviewed, the Office of Graduate Studies will notify the applicant of its action. If accepted, students must file the following information and documents with the Center for International Programs Office.
4. A proof of financial support form must be completed and returned to the Office of Graduate Studies. Current costs are approximately $16,250 for the academic year. (Summer and holidays are not figured into these costs.)
5. A medical history form and an immunization record must be completed by a physician and returned to the Office of Graduate Studies.
6. If a student is admitted to a degree program, the University will supply a U.S. Immigration (I-20) Form.
After the application and supporting documents have been reviewed, the Office of Graduate Studies will notify the applicant of its action. International students are urged to remain in their own countries until they receive notice of acceptance. The University cannot assume responsibility for the housing or welfare of international students.
Proof of Financial Support
International students must demonstrate proof of financial support in the amount of $16,250 for their first academic year in the United States at West Chester University. That support can be demonstrated through a variety of sources, as long as the total from all sources of support equals at least $16,250. The sources of funds can include scholarships, grants, loans, sponsorship by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, personal or family funds, and acceptance deposits. All sources of funds must be verified. Acceptance deposits may be required to verify personal or family funds. For students who have previously studied in the United States, verification that all financial obligations were met at prior academic institutions may be all that is required to demonstrate proof of financial support.
Insurance Requirements for International Students
International students at West Chester University are required to carry adequate health and accident insurance. Insurance must be effective for all periods of time the student has been authorized to be in the United States by an immigration document issued by the University.
Health and accident insurance policies must be purchased through a company that sells insurance in the United States. West Chester University has set minimum coverage standards which must be met by all insurance policies. Information about the minimum standards is available at the Center for International Programs Office, 610-436-3515.
To assure compliance with the insurance requirement, all international students must come to the center by August 31 of each academic year (January 31 for students entering spring semester). There students may obtain information as to the amount of insurance required and the means of obtaining coverage to meet the insurance requirement.
See policy on Continuous Enrollment, page 15.