700+ Advanced graduate courses ordinarily beyond the master's degree.
Open only to graduate students.
Student Responsibility
Graduate students are personally responsible for completing all requirements
established for their degree by the University, college and department.
It is the students' responsibility to inform themselves of these requirements.
Students' advisors may not assume these responsibilities, and the advisors
may not substitute, waive, or exempt students from any established requirement
or academic standard.
Course Load
Graduate students in full-time study shall ordinarily register for 12 or more
credits each semester. Individuals who are employed or engaged in other significant
activities are encouraged to adjust their study loads accordingly.
To be certified as in full-time study, graduate students must:
be registered for 12 credits, or
hold a full assistantship and be enrolled in 9 credits, or
be registered for one dissertation load credit (courses numbered 899 only).
Graduate students enrolled for less than 12 credits per semester who are participating
in program required full-time field work may also be certifiable as in full-time
status, subject to the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies or the Graduate
Academic Council, based upon the recommendation of the program faculty.
Regulations Governing the Transfer of
Credit to a Graduate Program
-
Courses completed before entering graduate study at this University for which transfer
credit is desired should be presented with the application for admission to graduate study.
-
In order to qualify for transfer credit for graduate courses completed at another institution
after entering graduate study at this University, the student's average grade in resident graduate
courses taken at this university must be B or better.
-
Candidates for degrees at this University are requested to receive the approval of their advisors
or of the Dean of Graduate Studies before registering for courses at other colleges if they plan
later to present them for transfer credit.
-
Courses presented must be appropriate to the student's graduate program. Professional courses offered
for transfer must be consistent with the student's graduate program.
-
Courses presented must have been given by an accredited institution authorized to grant graduate degrees.
-
Courses presented must be graduate courses, that is, applicable to a graduate degree at the institution
offering them.
-
Graduate courses presented for transfer credit completed while the student was in
undergraduate status shall be eligible for transfer only upon receipt of documentation
from the institution certifying that such course work was not used to fulfill undergraduate
degree requirements at that institution.
-
Courses presented must be completed with grades of B or better.
-
An official transcript of the student's record in the course(s) presented for transfer credit
should be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies, State University of New York at Albany,
1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222.
-
An official description of the course(s) should accompany the request for transfer credit.
-
Courses accepted for transfer credit are not used in computing the student's academic average.
-
Of the graduate credits required for a 30-48 credit master's degree, at least 24 must be completed
while in resident study at this University. For those graduate programs requiring more than 48
credits, at least 50 percent of the program�s requirements must be completed while in resident study
at this University.
Graduate Credit Requirements
To qualify for graduate credit in a course, students must hold a bachelor's
degree and have completed as a minimum the equivalent of an undergraduate
minor in the field in which the course is offered, except where it has
been approved by their advisors as a supporting course in a program for
a graduate degree.
Registration in Shared Resource
Courses
No graduate student may enroll in the graduate section of a shared resource
course if he/she has already completed the undergraduate section of the
same course.
Undergraduate-Graduate Study
Seniors of high standing in the University may receive graduate credit
for graduate courses taken in excess of undergraduate requirements in the
last session of their senior year provided not more than 6 credits are
needed to complete the student's undergraduate program. Permission of the
Dean of Graduate Studies is required and must be obtained in advance of
registration to receive such credit. Seniors who are permitted to take
courses for graduate credit in their last session also must make formal
application for admission to a graduate program and be accepted before
registering for study in the final session.
Program Changes and Withdrawal
-
Adding a Course: A course may be added with the approval of the
student's advisor prior to the close of the fifth day of classes for each
session. A course may be added with the approval of the student's advisor
and permission of the instructor from Day 6 through Day 10. (This includes
changes from audit to credit.) See calendar, separate bulletins, and directions
for registration.
-
Dropping a Course: A course may be dropped with a grade of W
(Withdrawn) by a graduate student prior to the close of the ninth week
of classes with the approval of the student's advisor. After that date
a grade of Z (Failing) is assigned, unless an exception is granted
by the Dean of Graduate Studies, in which case a grade of W is assigned.
Students who reduce the credits for which they are registered during a
particular session and do so before the end of the fourth week of classes
are eligible for a partial refund.
-
Withdrawal: Graduate students who withdraw from the University at
the end of the session should notify the Office of Graduate Admissions
and their department chairs in writing.
Students who drop all courses for which they have registered withdraw
from the University for the session.
A graduate student who withdraws officially from coursework within the
first nine weeks of a regular session may do so and receive grades W
(Withdrawn). Students may not withdraw after the prescribed date unless
their withdrawals are approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies, in which
case they receive grades of W.
A student who withdraws from a course prior to the end of the program
adjustment period shall have the course registration deleted from his/her
record.
A student who withdraws from a course during the program adjustment
period and substitutes that course with another course registration will
have the dropped course deleted from his/her academic record.
-
Medical Withdrawal: A graduate student, or where appropriate the
student's legal guardian or authorized representative, may initiate the medical
withdrawal process by presenting information about a disabling medical condition
to the Office of Graduate Studies. A medical withdrawal process may additionally
be initiated at the University Health Center, University Counseling Center, or the
Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs.
Supporting medical documentation for a medical withdrawal will be transferred and
stored in the student's medical record in the University Health Center or University
Counseling Center, along with the documentation of the withdrawal. At the time of
withdrawal the student will be informed in writing of the requirements for reentry.
Should the University officer reviewing the request for medical withdrawal have
questions about the conditions or circumstances, the situation will be referred to the
Health or Counseling Center for review by the appropriate licensed practitioner.
Medical withdrawals effective on or before the mid-semester point may qualify the
student for tuition and fees adjustment for the term of withdrawal. However, under
current federal regulations, students who receive federal aid and who withdraw prior
to the end of the semester, regardless of the reason for the withdrawal, may have
some of the aid on their account returned to the federal program, and they may
immediately owe repayment of a significant portion of aid they have received for
off-campus expenses.
Students seeking reentry after a medical withdrawal must provide documentation
of the reason for withdrawal, treatment outcome, and their preparedness to return to
the University. This documentation will be provided to the University Health or
Counseling Center by the student, physician, or other licensed health care practitioner
or facility. The University�s Health or Counseling Center reserves the right to make
an independent evaluation of a student's readiness to return to the University.
Official Leave of Absence from a Graduate Program
A doctoral student shall be eligible to apply for leave of absence prior to
reaching doctoral candidacy and/or registering for dissertation credits. A leave
may be proposed for an appropriate academic or personal reason and will be subject
to approval by the student's department, school or college, and by the Dean
of Graduate Studies. Normally, a leave of absence will be granted for a period
up to one year. Multiple leaves may be granted up to a combined maximum of four
semesters.
The period of authorized leave of absence is not counted as part of
the statute of limitations for completion of degree requirements.
Students who are on leave of absence are not entitled use of University facilities
and faculty, and other resources exclusively afforded to students.
Auditing Courses
Students may formally audit appropriate courses which will enhance their
programs and/or assist them in achieving career and personal objectives.
Formal auditors are ones who register as auditors, pay tuition, and receive
recognition on their transcripts, as well as other benefits enjoyed by
registered students.
The following conditions govern the formal auditing of selected graduate
courses:
-
The student must register for the course as a formal auditor.
-
The student must pay full tuition and fees based on his/her status as a
graduate student.
-
The course will appear at the end of the session on the student's transcript
with a grade of N bearing the number of credits for which the course
is offered.
-
An audited course may not be applied toward satisfying the credit requirements
established for any graduate degree or certificate program.
-
Registration for an audit course must be approved by the student's academic
advisor and either the instructor of the course or the chair of the department
offering the course and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
-
A student may not change from credit to audit or from audit to credit after
the last day to add a course for the particular session.
-
Once audited, a course cannot be repeated for graduate credit.
-
The following types of courses may not be formally audited: practicums,
internships, research and independent study courses, field courses, clinical
courses, workshops, and foreign study programs or courses.
-
A graduate student who formally audits a course must participate in the
course in appropriate ways as determined by the instructor. It will be
the student's responsibility to ascertain from the instructor the degree
of participation required. As a minimum, such participation should include
regular attendance and minimum reading assignments necessary to follow
discussion and to keep up with the other students in the class. In addition,
instructors may require individual auditors to participate in other class
projects. If in the instructors judgment, the student by the mid-session
date is not satisfactorily auditing the course, the instructor will report
a grade of W and the student will leave the course. There would
be no refund of tuition and fees. After the mid- session date a W
can be assigned by the Dean of Graduate Studies upon the instructor's recommendation.
-
Credits taken on a formal audit basis may count toward the student's eligibility
to hold an assistantship, fellowship, veterans benefits, scholar incentive,
and toward a student's full-time status under the residency requirement.
-
Exceptions to these policies may be authorized by the Dean of Graduate
Studies.
Independent Study
-
Independent study provides students with an opportunity to work in specialized
areas of their disciplines or professional fields when no formal, organized
courses are offered or when the independent study will provide a richer
and more productive experience than a comparable advanced course. A clear
determination should be made in advance by students, their advisors, and
instructors that it is in the best interest of the students to undertake
the courses. It should make a positive contribution to their programs,
scholarly development, and intellectual maturity.
Independent study is more, rather than less, demanding on the student
than formal courses. Not all graduate students have either the experience
or necessary intellectual discipline to undertake work of this nature successfully
at the time they first enter a program. Students should not, therefore,
undertake independent study in the first session of a graduate program,
particularly if they have not had previous graduate experience or have
not worked within the department or school previously, unless the programs
in which they are engaged incorporates independent study as a formal requirement
for the degree.
-
A student must prepare a written proposal summarizing the intended study.
As a minimum this should indicate the objectives, nature, and scope of
study, the resources needed or to be used, their location and availability.
It must also explain why an existing structured course (including seminars)
cannot meet the needs of the student. The proposal must also indicate what
the expected end product will be (for example, a paper, annotated bibliography,
abstract, theatrical productions, painting or sculpture, questionnaire,
etc.). The number of credits which are to be assigned must be specified.
Any special or unusual time schedule should be indicated, and the proposal
must be signed and approved by the student, the advisor, and the instructor.
Copies of the agreement are to be distributed as follows: one copy to the
student, one copy to the instructor, one copy to the advisor, one copy
to the department, and one copy to the student's official folder. Copies
of the agreement form may be secured from the department or school.
-
An independent study course ordinarily should not be used as a substitute
for an organized course specified in the student's program description
or letter of admission.
-
An independent study course may not be taken or approved when its purpose
or operation is in conflict with University graduate policy or academic
regulations and standards. For example, it specifically may not be authorized
to provide for study in absentia when the student's academic status or
program requires residence study on campus.
-
An independent study course may not be taken or approved when its purpose
is extraneous to the academic requirements for the degree. For example,
it should not be used merely to increase the total credits in a registration
by one or two credits.
-
Each year all approved independent study programs must be reviewed by an
appropriate department or school committee.
-
Included in independent study are the following current types of courses:
Directed Study, Independent Study, Directed Reading, Independent Reading,
Supervised Study, Supervised Reading, Research and Independent Study, Independent
Research and Study, Readings in _______, and Independent Research in_______.
-
Not included under independent study as here defined: Courses such as Independent
Reading or Directed Reading when offered for no credit or for load credit,
Seminar courses (680) when independent study may or may not be structured
part of the course, Thesis or Dissertation Research, Dissertation (load),
Student Teaching, Field Courses, Clinical Courses, Internships, Practicums,
Workshops, Laboratory Courses.
Faculty and Professional Staff-Conflict
of Interest
The University is concerned that a conflict of interest may exist in
situations in which employees or students vote on their own degree conferrals,
or in which employees or students might exercise a special and undesirable
influence on academic decisions directly influencing their own degree programs
or the programs of a member of their immediate families.
-
Only those below the rank of assistant professor or equivalent status and
those with administrative positions below the rank of assistant dean (or
equivalent) are eligible to be enrolled in a graduate degree program of
study within their own school/college. However, faculty members above the
rank of instructor or professional employees at or above the level of assistant
dean may be enrolled as graduate degree students in a school or college
other than the one in which they are employed provided that there is no
conflict of interest nor a restriction by the policies stated here. In
addition, no faculty members shall hold voting faculty status (as defined
in the by-laws of the University and the individual school or college)
in a department, college, or school in which they are also enrolled as
graduate degree students.
-
No graduate degree students shall hold or be assigned any administrative
post at or above U-Grade 28 or Professional Rank-7 within the State University
of New York system in which they are in a position to (a) alter university
graduate student records (transcripts) or (b) influence academic and/or
financial decisions bearing directly on the department or nondepartmentalized
school in which they are enrolled as degree program students.
-
Members of the immediate family (spouse, parent, child, brother, sister)
of a faculty member (a) may not register for graduate credit in a course
taught by the faculty member except where a course cannot be obtained otherwise
and is a specific requirement for graduation; and (b) may be enrolled in
a graduate degree program in the department or nondepartmentalized school
in which the faculty member has voting status only with the approval of
the Dean of Graduate Studies. This does not prohibit faculty relatives
from enrolling in degree programs in other departments within the same
school.
-
Where a full-time employee desires to enter a graduate program, the responsible
administrative officer and the Dean of Graduate Studies should be informed
by the employee. The student and administrators should reach a common understanding
concerning the relationship between job responsibilities and the required
academic study.
-
Individual academic units should develop governance policies and procedures
which will prevent graduate students from voting on their own qualifications
for a degree.
-
This policy was made effective for all graduate students June 1, 1972.
Graduate students enrolled in a degree program prior to this date shall
not be affected by items 1, 2, 3a above.
-
Exceptions to this policy may be granted only by votes of the Graduate
Academic Council or its designee.
Attendance
Attendance by all graduate students must be regular. Regulations concerning
attendance in a particular course are at the discretion of the instructor
and are announced in the opening class session. Responsibility for class
attendance rests with the student.
In all cases the work missed through absence must be made up. However,
permission to make up such work is not automatic and is given at the discretion
of the instructor.
The University reserves the right to exclude from a graduate program,
course, or final examination students whose attendance in classes is unsatisfactory
to their instructors or to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Section 224-a of the Education Law: Students
unable because of religious beliefs to attend classes on certain days
-
No person shall be expelled from or be refused admission as a student to
an institution of higher education for the reason that he* is unable, because
of his religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination,
study or work requirements on a particular day or days.+
-
Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable, because
of his religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days
shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused
from any examination or any study or work requirements.
-
It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative
officials of each institution of higher education to make available to
each student who is absent from school, because of his religious beliefs,
an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study or work requirements
which he may have missed because of such absence on any particular day
or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making
available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.
-
If classes, examinations, study or work requirements are held on Friday
after four o'clock post meridian or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes,
examinations, study or work requirements shall be made available on other
days, where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special fees shall
be charged to the student for these classes, examinations, study or work
requirements held on other days.
-
In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of
the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of
higher education to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse
or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his availing
himself of the provisions of this section.
-
Any student who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative
officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section shall
be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of
the county in which such institution of higher education is located for
the enforcement of his rights under this section.
-
As used in this section, the term "institution of higher education" shall
mean schools under the control of the Board of Trustees of the State University
of New York or of the Board of Higher Education of the City of New York
or any community college.
*This wording is the language of the original and still existing legislation.
Until the wording is changed to reflect Title IX provisions, it must be
printed in the current form. It should be understood in the above text
that masculine pronouns refer equally to female persons.
+Added L. 1966, c. 826, eff. July 28,1966.
Degree Application
A student who expects to complete requirements for a degree at the end
of a particular session must file a Degree Application Request with the
Registrar during the final registration period. If for some reason a degree
is not awarded after application is made, it is necessary to file another
Degree Application Request during the registration of the session when
degree requirements are expected to be met.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS
Graduate students who are candidates for a graduate degree or certificate
must earn an average of B in all resident graduate courses and credits
applicable to their degree completed with grades other than S (satisfactory)
or U (unsatisfactory) and receive grades of S in all resident graduate
courses applicable to their degree which may be graded S/U.
Only courses completed with grades of A, B, C, or S may be applied to
graduate course requirements and to credit requirements for graduate degrees.
Undergraduate courses or credits specified as required in conjunction
with a graduate program must be completed according to the following academic
standards:
-
A prerequisite course in the subject field central to the graduate program
or in the principal teaching field in a program leading to state teacher
certification must be completed with a grade of C or better.
-
A prerequisite in a supporting subject field must be completed with a grade
of C or better.
Graduate students in nondegree study are expected to meet and maintain
the same academic standards as students in degree programs.
All graduate students are expected to remain in good academic standing
during the course of their study; that is, to maintain an academic record
consistent with the standard above. A student whose record falls much
below those standards or which otherwise indicates a lack of ability or
effort needed to succeed in graduate study will be denied permission for
further study.
The candidacy of graduate students who receive a grade of U in
a required seminar or research course, in a practicum, student teaching
course, internship, field course or similar application course, on a thesis,
or in a dissertation course, is terminated unless an exception is recommended
for compelling reasons by their department or school, and they may not
register for further study unless they are later reinstated. Under certain
conditions, and with the recommendations of the student's major department,
such a student may apply to the Dean of Graduate Studies for reinstatement,
but ordinarily at least one session must intervene before a reinstatement.
Graduate students who are not in good standing academically and who
have been denied the privilege of further study on those grounds may petition
the Graduate Academic Council for reinstatement provided extenuating circumstances
were involved which, in their opinion, warrant review.
The term in good standing (satisfactory academic standing) means that
a student is eligible or has been allowed to register and take academic
coursework at this campus for the current session. Although in some cases
students have been warned and advised that their academic average needs
improvement in order to qualify for their degree, they are still considered
to be in good standing since they are still authorized to continue studying
toward their degrees. Only those students officially terminated from their
programs of study are considered not to be in good academic standing.
Graduate Grades
Grades in graduate courses are recorded on University records according
to the following scale:
A 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3
B 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3
C 2.0
D 1.0 (not applicable to a graduate degree)
E Failure: (academic)
N Audit only: noncredit
NR No grade reported: study in progress
I Incomplete: A tentative grade given only when the student
has nearly completed the course but due to circumstances beyond the
student's control the work is not completed on schedule. The date for
the completion of the work is specified by the instructor. The date
stipulated will not be later than one month before the end of the
session following that in which the Incomplete is received. The grade
I is automatically changed to E or U unless work is completed as agreed
between the student and the instructor.
L Load only: Noncredit: Used to indicate that a student is
engaged in a specified scholarly activity in a particular session.
R Research credit: Assigned for satisfactory progress in
thesis and dissertation research courses. Credits apply to the appropriate
degree when the research project is satisfactorily completed and the
thesis or dissertation is accepted by the faculty and Office of Graduate
Studies.
S Satisfactory: Awarded in graduate seminars, student teaching,
and special courses
U Unsatisfactory: Awarded in graduate seminars, student teaching,
and special courses.
W Withdrawn: Assigned by the appropriate administrative officer
for withdrawal from a course or from the University (without penalty).
Z Failing (penalty grade): Assigned by the appropriate administrative
officer for excessive absence, unofficial withdrawal, and like situations.
Grading of Graduate Courses
The evaluation of student performance in most graduate courses requires
the awarding of A-E grades. In its totality, graduate instruction
here is not conceived, organized, and offered to reflect a general S/U
or "pass-fail" pattern of evaluation, even though most graduate degree
programs do require one or more appropriate graduate courses graded
S/U.
The grading system for all formally organized and structured graduate
courses requires the use of the following A-E scale: A; A-; B+;
B; B-; C+; C; and E; other grades which may temporarily or permanently
be substituted for the above grades are I (incomplete), W
(withdrawn), and Z (failure).
The grading system for all graduate courses which by design are unstructured
or are organized primarily to provide an independent learning experience
are required to be graded on the S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory)
scale. In this graduate scale S is equivalent to a B or better,
and U is equivalent to a B- or lower. The courses which must
be graded on the graduate S/U scale include student teaching, seminars,
field courses, clinical courses, internships, practicums, workshops, independent
study, directed study or reading, research courses, special projects in
community-work courses, and special laboratory courses. Theses are also
graded S/U. Theses courses for which students register automatically
carry a grade of I until notification of the assignment of an S/U
grade
for the thesis course by the Graduate Office. According to graduate academic
standards, only courses completed with grades of A, A-, B+, B, and
S
may be applied to graduate course requirements and to credit requirements
for graduate degrees. These requirements can also be met by courses graded
B-,
C+, and C only if they are balanced to a B (3.0). (Example:
Three credits of B- must be balanced at least by three credits of
B+).
Exceptions to the above pattern of grading practices may be authorized
by the Dean of Graduate Studies. Requests for exceptions should be submitted
to the dean in writing by the department chair or by the instructor of
a course with the endorsement of the department chair. The request should
be supported by the rationale for changing the grading pattern and should
state whether this change is sought on a temporary or permanent basis.
Upon review, the Dean of Graduate Studies notifies the department chair
officially of the decision regarding the request. The Registrar is also
notified about such grading decisions.
Additionally, an instructor may not award simultaneously both A/E
grades and S/U grades in the same graduate course; grades assigned
in a course must be either all A/E grades or all S/U grades.
All undergraduates enrolled in graduate courses are evaluated by the grading
system authorized in graduate instruction. An instructor should not make
arrangements with students which vary from the authorized grading practices
without having received in advance formal approval from the Dean of Graduate
Studies for grading on a different pattern.
Standards of Academic
Integrity
As a community of scholars, the University at Albany has a
special responsibility to integrity and truth. By testing,
analyzing, and scrutinizing ideas and assumptions, scholarly
inquiry produces the timely and valuable knowledge that guide
and inform important and significant decisions, policies,
and choices. Our duty to be honest, methodical and careful
in the attribution of data and ideas to their sources establishes
the foundations of our work. Misrepresenting or falsifying
scholarship undermines the essential trust on which our community
depends. Every member of the community, including both faculty
and students, shares an interest in maintaining the highest
standards of academic integrity.
Violations of trust harm everyone. The academic community
has to trust that its members do not misrepresent their data,
take credit for another's ideas or labor, misrepresent or
interfere with the work of other scholars, or present previous
work as if it were new. Acts of academic dishonesty undermine
the value and credibility of the institution as a whole, and
may distract others from important scholarship or divert resources
away from critical research. In particular, students who plagiarize
or falsify their work have not only failed to adhere to the
principles of scholarly inquiry and failed their peers by
taking undeserved credit or reward, they have failed to learn.
When the entire University community upholds the principles
of academic integrity, it creates an environment where students
value their education and embrace experiences of discovery
and intellectual growth. In this environment, grades and degrees
are awarded and applauded as the recognition of years of achievement,
discipline, and hard work. Maintaining the highest standards
of academic integrity insures the value and reputation of
our degree programs; these standards represent an ethical
obligation for faculty intrinsic to their role as educators,
as well as a pledge of honor on the part of UAlbany students.
If a violation of academic integrity occurs, faculty, deans,
and students all share in the responsibility to report it.
These guidelines define a shared context of values to help
both students and faculty to make individual and institutional
decisions about academic integrity. Every student has the
responsibility to become familiar with the standards of academic
integrity at the University. While it is strongly recommended
that faculty specify in their syllabi information about academic
integrity, as well as a description of the possible responses
to violations, claims of ignorance, unintentional error, or
personal or academic pressures are not sufficient reasons
for violations of academic integrity. Students are responsible
for familiarizing themselves with the standards and behaving
accordingly, and UAlbany faculty are responsible for teaching,
modeling and upholding them. Anything less undermines the
worth and value of our intellectual work, and the reputation
and credibility of the University at Albany degree.
Resources for Students
The University Libraries offers the following helpful information:
You have access to many research and information literacy
resources here at the University at Albany.
Take an information literacy course. These courses will help
you to locate and evaluate information effectively —skills
that will help you not only with your studies, but also in
the workplace. For more information, check the list of courses
(https://www.albany.edu/gened/inflit.html) that meet the General
Education Information Literacy Requirement. The University
Libraries offer two such courses, one targeted towards the
sciences. More information is available on both courses at:
http://library.albany.edu/usered/unl205/index.html.
Check out helpful tip sheets and other tutorials (http://library.albany.edu/usered/).
The University Libraries provide a wide array of guides and
other instruction to answer your research-related questions.
These include help on the research process, citation tip sheets,
explanations of types of resources, information on how to
locate a wide range of materials and how to evaluate them
effectively, and much more. You will also find up to date
Internet Tutorials (http://library.albany.edu/internet/) that
will help make you a pro at searching the Web!
The University Libraries homepage (http://library.albany.edu/)
will provide you with access to all sorts of resources for
doing research, including the online catalog and a wide variety
of research databases. You will find links to contact librarians
and to ask for help, and a great deal more. Take a look!
Examples of Academic
Dishonesty
The following is a list of types of behaviors considered to
be academically dishonest and therefore unacceptable. Even
the attempt to commit such acts is a breach of integrity and
is subject to penalty. No such list can, of course, describe
all possible types or degrees of academic dishonesty, so these
should be understood as examples rather than as a comprehensive
list. Individual faculty members, Deans of Schools and Colleges
as appropriate, and the Office of Conflict Resolution and
Civic Responsibility will continue to judge each case according
to its particular merit.
Plagiarism: Presenting as one's
own work, the work of another person (for example, the words,
ideas, information, data, evidence, organizing principles,
or style of presentation of someone else). Plagiarism includes
paraphrasing or summarizing without acknowledgment, submission
of another student's work as one's own, the purchase of prepared
research or completed papers or projects, and the unacknowledged
use of research sources gathered by someone else. Failure
to indicate accurately the extent and precise nature of one's
reliance on other sources is also a form of plagiarism. The
student is responsible for understanding the legitimate use
of sources, the appropriate ways of acknowledging academic,
scholarly, or creative indebtedness, and the consequences
for violating University regulations.
Examples of plagiarism include: failure to acknowledge the
source(s) of even a few phrases, sentences, or paragraphs;
failure to acknowledge a quotation or paraphrase of paragraph-length
sections of a paper; failure to acknowledge the source(s)
of a major idea or the source(s) for an ordering principle
central to the paper's or project's structure; failure to
acknowledge the source (quoted, paraphrased, or summarized)
of major sections or passages in the paper or project; the
unacknowledged use of several major ideas or extensive reliance
on another person's data, evidence, or critical method; submitting
as one's own work, work borrowed, stolen, or purchased from
someone else. For more information concerning plagiarism,
see the library’s tutorial on the subject on the library
web site. Graduate students will find additional information
concerning Academic Integrity, Conduct, and Research Regulations
on the Graduate Studies web site.
Cheating on Examinations: Giving
or receiving unauthorized help before, during, or after an
examination. Examples of unauthorized help include collaboration
of any sort during an examination (unless specifically approved
by the instructor); collaboration before an examination (when
such collaboration is specifically forbidden by the instructor);
the use of notes, books, or other aids during an examination
(unless permitted by the instructor); arranging for another
person to take an examination in one's place; looking upon
someone else's examination during the examination period;
intentionally allowing another student to look upon one's
exam; the unauthorized discussing of the test items during
the examination period; and the passing of any examination
information to students who have not yet taken the examination.
There can be no conversation while an examination is in progress
unless specifically authorized by the instructor.
Multiple Submission: Submitting
substantial portions of the same work for credit more than
once without receiving the prior explicit consent of the instructor
to whom the material is being submitted the second or subsequent
time.
Forgery: Imitating another person's
signature on academic or other official documents.
Sabotage: Destroying, damaging,
or stealing of another's work or working materials (including
lab experiments, computer programs, term papers, or projects).
Unauthorized Collaboration: Collaborating
on projects, papers, or other academic exercises when this
is regarded as inappropriate by the instructor(s). Although
the usual faculty assumption is that work submitted for credit
is entirely one's own, standards on appropriate and inappropriate
collaboration vary widely among individual faculty and the
different disciplines. Students who want to confer or collaborate
with one another on work receiving academic credit should
make certain of the instructor's expectations and standards.
Falsification: Misrepresenting
material or fabricating information in an academic exercise
or assignment (for example, the false or misleading citation
of sources, the falsification of experimental or computer
data, etc.)
Bribery: Offering or giving any
article of value or service to an instructor in an attempt
to receive a grade or other benefits not legitimately earned
or not available to other students in the class.
Theft, Damage, or Misuse of Library or IT Resources:
Removing uncharged library materials from the library, defacing
or damaging library materials, intentionally displacing or
hoarding materials within the library for one's unauthorized
private use, or other abuse of reserve-book privileges. Any
violation of the University’s Responsible Use of Information
Technology policy. This includes, but is not limited to, unauthorized
use of the University's or another person's computer accounts,
codes, passwords, or facilities; damaging computer equipment
or interfering with the operation of the computing system
of the University. All students are expected to be familiar
with the Responsible Use Policy, which can be viewed at https://www.albany.edu/its.
Penalties and Procedures
The faculty member responsible for educating the student is also responsible
for determining when that student has violated academic integrity.
When a faculty member determines that a student has violated
academic integrity, he or she will inform the student and
impose an appropriate sanction. A faculty member may make
any one or a combination of the following responses to the
infractions of academic dishonesty cited above:
(1) Lowering of a paper or project grade by one full grade
or more;
(2) Giving a failing grade on a paper containing plagiarized
material;
(3) Giving a failing grade on any examination in which cheating
occurred;
(4) Lowering a course grade by one full grade or more; or
(5) Giving a failing grade in a course or other academic exercise.
In addition, faculty members will complete the Violation
of Academic Integrity Report, including the sanction
they have imposed along with a brief description of the incident,
and send it to the Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Studies,
as appropriate. A copy of the report is to be given to the
student. The Deans of Undergraduate or Graduate Studies will
maintain a copy of such reports for the duration of a student's
enrollment at the University.
If a faculty member informs the student that he or she will
receive a failing grade in the course or other academic exercise
as a result of academic dishonesty, the student receiving
such a penalty will not be permitted to withdraw from the
course unless the grievance process or Office of Conflict
Resolution and Civic Responsibility rules in favor of the
student. Students who feel they have been erroneously penalized
for an academic integrity infraction or think that a penalty
is inappropriate may grieve these issues through procedures
developed for each college, school, program, or department
of the University. Copies of the procedures are maintained
in the School and College Deans' Offices or on their respective
websites. A copy of the disposition of any grievance arising
in matters of academic dishonesty will be attached to the
Violation of Academic Integrity Report filed in the Offices
of the Deans of Undergraduate or Graduate Studies.
Any faculty member or School or College Dean encountering
matters of academic dishonesty in a class or academic program
for which he or she has responsibility may, in addition to,
or in lieu of, the actions cited above,
(6) refer a case to the Office of Conflict Resolution and
Civic Responsibility.
After considering the case, the Office of Conflict Resolution
and Civic Responsibility will recommend to the Dean of Undergraduate
or Graduate Studies, as appropriate, the disposition of the
case, which can include revoking a student’s scholarship
or fellowship, or teaching or research assistantship, as well
as or in addition to disciplinary probation, suspension, or
expulsion. Students should be aware that violations of academic
integrity may cause subsequent difficulties in admission to
graduate or professional schools and/or in employment in certain
professions.
When a student violates academic integrity in more than one
academic exercise, whether those infractions occurred during
the same or different periods of time, or in the same or different
courses, the University regards the offense as an especially
serious subversion of academic integrity. The matter becomes
particularly severe when the student has been confronted with
the first infraction before the second is committed. Whenever
the Offices of Undergraduate or Graduate Studies receive a
second Violation of Academic Integrity report on a student,
the Dean will request a hearing before the Office of Conflict
Resolution and Civic Responsibility.
The Director of Libraries or Chief Information Officer, upon
a finding of theft, damage, misuse of facilities or resources,
or a violation of University policies, will forward all such
cases to the Office of Conflict Resolution and Civic Responsibility
for review and disposition, which can include suspension or
expulsion from the University. The Director of the Libraries
or Chief Information Officer may, in individual cases, limit
access to the Library or IT resources pending action by the
Office of Conflict Resolution and Civic Responsibility. In
all other cases of academic dishonesty by students which come
to the attention of any staff, faculty, or student, it is
expected that the Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Studies,
as appropriate, will be consulted about such infractions.
The Office of Conflict Resolution and Civic Responsibility
was established by the governing bodies of this campus and
is administratively the responsibility of the Vice President
for Student Success. Any questions about the procedures of
the Office of Conflict Resolution and Civic Responsibility
may be secured by inquiry to that office.
Exceptions to Regulations
In some instances, students may seek to be excepted from a University,
school, college, or departmental regulation or from a program requirement.
Program Requirements: A request for an exception from
the program requirements should be submitted in writing initially to the
department chair or an appropriate departmental committee. If the department
is not authorized to act on the request, it will refer the request to the
official or committee responsible.
Departmental Regulations: A request for an exception from
a departmental regulation should be submitted in writing to the chair or
the departmental committee responsible. If the department is not authorized
to act on the request, it will refer the request to the committee or official
responsible.
School or College Regulations: A request for an exception
from a school or college regulation should be discussed first with the
department chair. If the request is within the responsibility of the department,
it should then be submitted in writing to the chair or departmental committee
responsible. If the department is not authorized to act, the request should
be submitted in writing to the dean of the school or college or to the
school or college committee responsible. If the school or college is not
authorized to act on the request, it will refer the request via the Dean
of Graduate Studies to the Graduate Academic Council.
University Regulations:A request for an exception from a University
regulation shall be discussed with the department chair. If the request is within
the responsibility of the department, it should then be submitted in writing
to the chair or departmental committee responsible. If the department is not
authorized to act, the request should be submitted in writing to school or college
officials or committees if they are responsible, or to the Dean of Graduate
Studies and the Graduate Academic Council if they are responsible.
Requests for exceptions to any of the following regulations established for
the award of a graduate degree will not be considered:
1. academic grade standards;
2. credit requirements;
3. residence study requirements;
4. seminar, thesis, research, and field course requirements for a master's degree;
field examination for a master's degree;
5. tool and foreign language requirements;
6. requirements established for admission to candidacy for a doctoral degree;
7. dissertation requirements for a doctoral degree.
Procedures for Resolving Academic Grievances
Students who seek to challenge an academic grade or evaluation of their work in a course or seminar, or in research or another educational activity may request a review of the evaluation by filing an academic grievance.
The Graduate Academic Council (GAC) and the Undergraduate Academic Council (UAC), through the work of their respective Committees on Admission and Academic Standing (CAAS) are responsible for insuring that approved procedures exist within the schools, colleges, departments (if applicable) and programs of the University for students to file academic grievances. Copies of established grievance procedures shall be filed by each academic unit with the Offices of the Dean of Graduate Studies and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and available to students at each school/college dean�s office.
It is expected that the grounds upon which an academic grievance may be based should be clearly identified. Such grounds may include variance from University grading standards/policies, grade calculation inconsistencies with that announced in published course syllabi, procedural abnormalities, or other factors that are alleged to have denied the student a fair evaluation. It is not expected that grievances will propose that the professional obligation of faculty to fairly evaluate academic material within their field of expertise will be supplanted by alternate means without procedural cause.
A student who seeks to dispute a grade or evaluation must initially pursue the matter directly with the faculty member involved. If not satisfactorily resolved directly with the faculty member, a written grievance may be filed with the program/department, or directly with school/college for units that are not departmentalized.
Should the grievance not be satisfactorily resolved at this initial level of review, students may pursue further consideration of the grievance at the next organizational level until such time as the grievance is considered at the University level by the GAC or UAC CAAS, as appropriate. Action on an academic grievance by the appropriate CAAS, upon acceptance by the GAC or UAC, as appropriate, is final and not subject to further formal review within the University. Only at this final level of grievance determination by the CAAS may a grade or other such evaluation be changed against the will of the faculty member(s) involved. In such rare cases, the Chair of the GAC or UAC, or its respective CAAS, as appropriate, may consult at his/her discretion with departmental faculty and/or appropriate scholars to determine an appropriate grade and authorize its recording by the Registrar.
In reviewing an academic grievance, the CAAS will consider the formal written petition from the student and corresponding written response/comment from the faculty, along with all records of consideration of the matter at prior levels of review. Although rare, the CAAS reserves the right to conduct a hearing with all parties present or it may decide to meet with each party separately. The nature and number of the representatives attending any such meeting will be at the discretion of the CAAS. These procedures adopted are those which the University believes will provide all parties involved the opportunity to present complete and factual information as necessary for the CAAS to render a fair decision.
Academic Termination and Transcripts
Graduate students who are terminated for academic reasons will have
placed on their graduate transcripts a notation that they were academically
terminated and date of termination. If such students are subsequently readmitted
to the program from which they were terminated, their termination notations
will be deleted from their transcripts.
Reinstatement
A graduate student whose authorization to register for further study
has been terminated officially by the Dean of Graduate Studies and who
seeks reinstatement should submit a formal request for reinstatement along
with a supporting statement to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
The Dean of Graduate Studies will refer such a request to the Graduate
Academic Council and its Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing
for review and action.
POLICY FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
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The University reaffirms its commitment to the principle that the widest
possible scope for freedom of expression is the foundation of an institution
dedicated to vigorous inquiry, robust debate, and the continuous search
for a proper balance between freedom and order. The University seeks to
foster an environment in which persons who are on its campus legitimately
may express their views as widely and as passionately as possible; at the
same time, the University pledges to provide the greatest protection available
for controversial, unpopular, dissident, or minority opinions. The University
believes that censorship is always suspect, that intimidation is always
repugnant, and that attempts to discourage constitutionally protected expression
may be antithetical to the University's essential missions: to discover
new knowledge and to educate.
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All persons on University-controlled premises are bound by the Rules and
Regulations for Maintenance of Public Order, which deal in part with freedom
of expression (adopted by the Board of Trustees of the State University
of New York June 18, 1969; amended 1969, 1980). Members of the University
community should familiarize themselves with those rules and regulations.
In addition, University faculty are protected by and bound by Article XI,
Title I, Sec. 1 of the Policies of the Board of Trustees (adopted January
1987), entitled "Academic Freedom."
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University officials or other members of the University community in a
position to review posters, publications, speakers, performances, or any
other form of expression may establish legitimate time, place, and manner
regulations for the maintenance of an orderly educational environment;
however, they may not prohibit expression for any reason related to the
content of the expression, except as permitted in those narrow areas of
expression devoid of federal or state constitutional protection.
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Speakers invited to campus by University groups or individuals, and other
speakers who may be legitimately present on campus, will be given the utmost
protection to communicate their messages without disruptive harassment
or interference. Opponents to those speakers enjoy the same protections
for expressing their dissent.
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All members of the University community share the duty to support, protect,
and extend the commitment to the principle of freedom of expression, and
to discuss this commitment with groups or individuals who seek to take
part in University life. While all persons may seek to discourage peacefully
speech that may be unnecessarily offensive to particular individuals or
groups, speech that may be antithetical to the University's values, those
persons must support the legal right of free speech.
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The Council on Academic Freedom and Ethics will serve as a hearing body
available to those members of the University community who feel their freedom
of expression has been unfairly suppressed. The Council will report its
findings to the President for further review and action.
REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING
THE MASTER'S DEGREE
Requirements given in this section are those which generally apply to
all master's programs except as indicated. However, the programs of individual
colleges or schools may involve additional requirements applicable only
to particular programs.
Master's Degrees Conferred
Graduate programs in the arts and sciences, public health
sciences, nanosciences and nanoengineering, public affairs,
and education lead to the M.A., M.S., or M.F.A. degrees. Graduate
programs in business lead to the M.S. or M.B.A. degrees, graduate
programs in criminal justice to the M.A. degree, graduate
programs in library and information science to the M.S. degree,
graduate programs in public administration to the M.P.A. degree,
and graduate programs in social welfare to the M.S.W. degree.
Graduate programs in regional planning lead to the Master
of Regional Planning (M.R.P.) degree. Graduate programs in
public health lead to the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
degree.
Credit Requirements
Each program leading to a M.A. or M.S. degree includes as a minimum 30 credits
of appropriate graduate study (31 credits minimum in public
affairs; 54 credits minimum in rehabilitation counseling;
54 credits in counseling; and 30-64 credits minimum for one-
and two-year programs in accounting). Programs leading to
professional master's degrees include the following minimum
number of credits of appropriate graduate study: for the M.B.A.,
43 to 63 credits, depending on previous preparation in business;
for the M.S. in Information Science, 42 credits; for the M.P.A.,
40 credits; for the M.S.W., 60 credits; and for the M.R.P.,
48 credits; for the M.P.H., 51 credits; and for the M.S. in
Health Policy and Management, 56 credits. Refer to descriptions
of individual programs for required courses and distributions.
Candidacy is terminated for students who fail to meet the requirements
for the degree within the minimum of credits of graduate study required
for a particular degree and applied to their degree programs at this University
or, for students whose required graduate programs exceed the usual minimum
for the degree, within the minimum number of hours specified in the letter
of admission.
Students who fail to qualify under the conditions above may take additional
courses at this University for not more than 6 credits in an attempt
to qualify, provided their records do not include an unsatisfactory
seminar or thesis, except that students in 60-credit programs for the
M.B.A. or M.S.W. may be permitted an additional nine credits in an attempt
to qualify. Courses taken for this purpose must be selected by the student's
advisor, and a record of the recommended courses must be filed with and
approved by the dean of the appropriate school before the additional
study is undertaken. Forms for this purpose may be obtained in the offices
of the separate schools.
Independent study courses or work or research in absentia will not be
approved for this purpose.
Residence Study
Of the minimum number of credits required for a master's degree, (1)
at least 24 credits of residence graduate study must be completed at this
University in each 30-48 credit master's program, and (2) at least 50 percent
of the program's total credits must be completed in residence study at
this University in each master's program which requires more than 48 graduate
credits.
Transfer Credit
Under certain conditions and with the approval of the Dean of Graduate
Studies, credit not to exceed 6 credits for graduate work completed at
another institution may be accepted and applied to a 30-credit program.
Between 7 and 24 credits for graduate work completed at another institution
may be accepted and applied to master's programs requiring 31-48 credits
(with the proviso above that at least 24 of the required 31-48 credits
be completed in residence study at the University). For those graduate
programs requiring 48 credits, up to 50 percent of a program's total credit
requirements may be satisfied by the application of appropriate transfer
credit. Courses presented for transfer study must be graduate courses,
applicable to a graduate degree at the institution offering them, and completed
with a grade of B or better at an accredited institution authorized to
grant graduate degrees.
Requirements for the satisfactory completion of research seminars, theses,
field courses, clinical courses, student teaching, internships and practicums
may not be satisfied by courses taken at other institutions, and they are
not eligible for transfer credit for these purposes.
Under regulations similar to those governing transfer credit earned
in graduate courses, a maximum of 6 graduate credits earned in the College
Proficiency Examinations administered by the New York State Education Department
may be accepted for transfer credit into master's degree programs upon
the approval (1) of the department or school in which the student is enrolled,
and (2) by the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Credit accepted for College Proficiency Examinations is part of the
total credit accepted as transfer credit in a program and the total transfer
credit may not exceed the limits stated above.
Full-time Study in Residence
Although full-time study is recommended, it is not a general requirement
for a master's degree, and many programs can be completed through part-time
study. However, certain programs may have full-time study requirements.
Refer to descriptions of individual programs for this information.
Field of Specialization
Most programs call for a minimum of 18 credits in the field of specialization.
Some schools and departments require more. Also, the nature of the student's
undergraduate preparation or special licensing or other professional requirements
may make it necessary in some cases to require more credits in the special
field than university, school, or departmental minimums.
Research Tool Requirement
A reading knowledge of a foreign language or competence in another appropriate
research tool is required in many but not all of the general sequences
in the arts and sciences.
Regulations and procedures governing the satisfaction of foreign language
and other research tool requirements in all graduate degree programs are
given in separate sections of this bulletin.
Seminar and Thesis Requirement
Candidates for a master's degree must complete satisfactorily at this University
a graduate research seminar or an acceptable thesis in their field of specialization
for at least 2 credits, except for candidates in the developmental reading,
rehabilitation counseling, or special education programs in education or in
programs leading to the M.B.A., M.P.A., M.P.H., MSIS, or M.S.W. degrees. Candidates
in those programs must satisfactorily complete at this University appropriate
field courses, internships, or practicums.
Special Field Examination
Some programs require the satisfactory completion of a comprehensive
examination in the field of specialization.
Students must take the major field examination within one calendar year
of completion of coursework in their program of studies.
Students who fail a special field examination may, on the recommendation
of their advisor and with the approval of the department chair or dean,
take a second examination in an attempt to qualify. The second examination
may not be taken before that given in the following session and must be
taken within a calendar year of the attempt to pass the examination. A
student may not take a third examination to qualify.
Statute of Limitations
All requirements for a master's degree must be completed within six
calendar years from the date on initial registration in the program, unless
the Graduate Academic Council grants an extension of time. This provision
applies equally to students who enter with or without advanced standing
or transfer credit.
GENERAL REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE
MASTER'S THESIS
A thesis is the culmination of a program of advanced study leading to a master's
degree and, as such, must attest to the attainment of a basic understanding
of scholarly investigation and reporting in an academic or professional field.
Responsibility for the evaluation and acceptance of a thesis rests with the
major department.
Regulations governing the preparation and submission of a master's thesis follow.
Detailed procedures and the Subject Approval Form required preliminary to registration
for work on a thesis or in a research course requiring the writing of a thesis
are available in the Office of Graduate Studies. These should be obtained by
the students (and advisors) at the beginning of the planning for the research
and writing of a thesis.
Permission to undertake a thesis is at the direction of the student's major
department.
Masters thesis research involving human subjects, animals, or biohazardous
materials must be approved in advance by the applicable University compliance
committee(s): Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and
Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) or an IRB, IACUC,
or IBC that has been designated by the University as demonstrated by an approval
letter, or written acknowledgement by the student and advisor that such research
must be approved in advance by the committee(s) and that engaging in such research
without such approval would constitute misconduct.
After the subject and scope of the research have been determined, students
formally apply for approval of the project. The student submits the Application
for Approval of Subject of Thesis for the Master’s Degree for this purpose
to the advisor and upon her/his approval to Office of Graduate Studies for final
approval.
Unless there is some reason to suggest a reconsideration, the Office of Graduate
Studies files one copy of the approval in the student's folder and returns two
copies to the advisor, one copy for the advisor's file and one to be returned
to the student along with the set of directions.
Students include the research course or master's thesis course in their registered
program for the session. Students in the sciences register for appropriate research
courses (e.g., Atm 699, Bio 699, Chm 699T). Students in other fields register
their thesis effort and credits under a standard, departmental listing such
as Fre 699, Tch 699, His 699, Cll 699. The student registers in the research
'course' or thesis 'course' for an appropriate number of credits for the session
in question. If the work is to be spread out over two or more sessions, the
student reregisters for the same course in each of the following sessions.
The student should be guided by the directions to students for format, style,
paper, margins, and general procedures in writing and submitting the thesis.
Directions for the preparation of a thesis are obtained from the Office of Graduate
Studies.
The student submits unbound two final copies of the thesis and two final copies
of an abstract to the advisor. The copies of the thesis submitted to the Office
of Graduate Studies must be in the following physical mode:
A printed original without errors or corrections, on 100 percent non-recycled
cotton or rag bond paper, and a printed copy, without errors or corrections,
on 25 percent non-recycled cotton or rag bond paper.
The department chair notifies the student and the Dean of Graduate Studies
as to the official evaluation of the thesis.
Upon final acceptance of a thesis, the student makes a prepayment of charges
to the University Library to cover the costs of binding and gives the receipt
to the department chair.
Students may request permission of their department and of the Dean of Graduate
Studies to arrange for publication of their thesis. In such cases the publication
must state on the title page, or in the foreword, or in a footnote in the case
of publication in a journal, that the publication has been presented in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for a master's degree at the University at Albany.
The department chair or dean of the college or school transmits the thesis
to the Dean of Graduate Studies with a) the statement of acceptance signed by
the readers, and b) a receipt from the student for the prepayment of binding
charges.
Unless copies of the thesis are unacceptable to the Dean of Graduate Studies
(in which case the dean notifies the student and the department), the dean authorizes
the Registrar to assign the appropriate grade and credits to the student's record.
Subsequently the dean transmits the thesis to the University Library for binding,
distribution, and filing (ordinarily after the degree has been conferred).
Theses which have been approved should be transmitted to the Dean of Graduate
Studies by May 1 for degrees to be conferred in May, by December 1 for degrees
to be conferred in December, and by August 1 for degrees to be conferred in
August.
COMBINED BACCALAUREATE-MASTER'S
DEGREE PROGRAMS
Standards and Requirements
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In qualifying for the baccalaureate, students will meet all University
and school requirements, including the second field requirement, the minimum
liberal arts and sciences credit-hour requirement, and residency requirements.
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In qualifying for the master's degree, students will meet all University
and school requirements, including completing a minimum of 30 graduate
credits, and any such conditions as research seminar, thesis, comprehensive
examination, or other professional experience where required, and residency
requirements.
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Total minimum credit-hour requirements for combined degree programs in
the arts and sciences: 138 to 150 credits, of which at least 30 must be
graduate credits. To earn the baccalaureate degree students must complete
120 credits of appropriate study; to receive the master's degree students
must complete 30 credits of appropriate graduate study. Up to 12 graduate
credits may be applied simultaneously to both the undergraduate and to
the graduate programs. Although it is permissible for combined degree programs
to require a minimum of 138 total credits, faculties responsible for specific
combined degree programs may require more than 138 total credits to satisfy
the unique characteristics of differing disciplines. Combined degree programs
may not, however, require additional baccalaureate major credits that exceed
current credit limitations for majors.
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Because of the wide range of total credits required in professional master's
degrees (30-63), total credit-hour requirements for combined baccalaureate-professional
master's degree programs can be approved on a range from 138 to 175 credits.
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Exceptions to the program minima stated in sections 3 and 4 may be approved
by the Graduate Academic Council and/or Undergraduate Academic Council.
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All combined degree programs must be approved by both the Graduate Academic
Council and Undergraduate Academic Council. Programs will be monitored
under procedures jointly established by both academic councils.
Admissions and Administrative Procedures
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Students may be admitted to an integrated degree program at the beginning
of their junior year, or after the successful completion of 56 credits.
A GPA of 3.2 or higher and three supportive letters of recommendation from
faculty are required.
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Although admitted to an integrated degree program, students will be considered
as undergraduate students for the purposes of tuition, financial aid, and
headcount identification until completion of 120 credits of satisfactory
work. Upon meeting that requirement, students will be considered graduate
students for purposes of tuition, headcount identification, and eligibility
for graduate assistantships, fellowships, and loans. A graduate transcript
will be initiated for the students at the 120 credit-hour threshold.
DUAL MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAMS
Standards and Requirements
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In qualifying for dual master's degrees (DMDP), students will meet all
University and school requirements, including completing a minimum of 30
graduate credits for each degree, and other such conditions as a research
seminar, thesis, comprehensive examination, other professional experience
where required, and residency requirements for each master's degree.
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Total minimum credit-hour requirements for dual master's degrees programs
will be 48 credits. Up to 20 percent of the total graduate credits normally
required for dual programs may be applied simultaneously to both graduate
programs. Although it is permissible for some dual degrees programs to
require as few as 48 total credits, faculties responsible for specific
dual master's degrees programs may require more than 48 total credits to
satisfy the unique characteristics of differing graduate areas.
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Exceptions to the program minimum stated in section 2 may be approved by
the Graduate Academic Council.
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All dual master's degrees programs must be approved by the Graduate Academic
Council. Programs will be monitored under procedures established by the
Graduate Academic Council.
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These programs are not student initiated.
Admissions and Administrative Procedures
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Students may be admitted to a dual master's degrees program at the beginning
of their graduate studies, but no later than after completing 20 graduate
credits applicable to a dual master's degrees program. Work done for an
awarded master's or doctoral degree may not be used for this program. A
minimum GPA of 3.0 and three supportive letters of recommendation from
faculty are required. GRE scores may be required also. Faculty from both
participating academic units will form the admission committee for each
dual master's degrees program.
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A student admitted to a dual master's degrees program may receive a graduate
assistantship from either or both of the participating units; the total
sum cannot exceed what each unit provides for a graduate assistant for
an academic year.
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For purposes of headcount identification, each participating unit will
receive a headcount for an admitted dual master's degrees program student.
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Students admitted to a DMDP will receive a single transcript identifying
both degrees and programs titles.
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Both participating academic units in a DMDP will receive recognition for
one awarded master's degree when a DMDP student has completed her/his full
program.
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A student may leave the program before completion of both degrees. If the
requirements for one degree have been fulfilled, that degree may be awarded.
POLICY OF ADVANCED STANDING AND
RESIDENT STUDY FOR A SECOND MASTER'S DEGREE
Applicants for admission to a master's degree program who have already
completed one master's degree program may apply for admission with advanced
standing. The award of advanced standing to a successful applicant for
a second master's degree program is governed by the following conditions:
- Up to 30 percent of the credits required for a second master's degree may
be allowed for advanced standing by the application of appropriate courses
from the first completed master's degree program. All remaining course requirements
must be completed satisfactorily in resident graduate study at the University
at Albany.
- Courses applied to a second master's degree program from a completed first
master's degree program must be approved by the faculty responsible for the
second program.
- Courses accepted for advanced standing may not be used normally to satisfy
a second master's degree program's requirements of such key courses as research
seminars, theses, field courses, clinical courses, student teaching internships,
and practicums.
- Courses allowed for advance standing status must be graduate courses completed
with a B, or better, or S grade at accredited institutions authorized to grant
graduate degrees.
- A graduate student may not apply both conventional transfer credit and
advanced standing credit to the second master's degree program: the former
or the latter, but not both, can be applied to a single program.
- Exceptions to criteria governing advanced standing may be approved by the
Graduate Academic Council.
- The amount of advanced standing awarded will be placed on the student's
second program transcript.
REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
GOVERNING THE CERTIFICATES OF ADVANCED STUDY
Certificate of Advanced Study
Award
A Certificate of Advanced Study attesting to advanced preparation and
competence may be earned for the completion of organized programs which normally
extend at least one year beyond the master's degree.
Many of these programs operate in conjunction with doctoral programs, and
essentially the same academic and admission standards apply.
Credit Requirement
Each program leading to a certificate of advanced study includes a minimum of 48
(60 for those in education) credits of appropriate graduate study. Refer to
descriptions of individual programs for required courses and distributions.
Residence Study and Advanced Standing
Of the minimum number of credits of graduate study beyond the baccalaureate
established for a certificate in a particular field, at least one-half must be
completed in resident graduate study at this University.
An applicant for admission to a program leading to a 60-credit certificate who holds
a master's degree with an appropriate specialization may apply for admission with
advanced standing not to exceed 30 credits.
Comprehensive Examination
Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination in education and in the field
of specialization is required in each program in education. Satisfactory completion of a
comprehensive examination in school psychology is required in that program.
Statutes of Limitations
All requirements for the certificate must be completed within six calendar years from the
date of initial registration in the program.
This statute applies equally to students who enter with or without advanced standing and to
students who formally change their areas of specialization after admission and study in one advanced program.
Statutes of Limitations
The required full-time study in residence for education certificate
programs must be completed within four calendar years from the date of
initial registration in the program in the fall, three and one-half years
from the date of initial registration in the spring.
All requirements for the certificate must be completed within five calendar
years from the date of initial registration in the program.
These statutes apply equally to students who enter with or without advanced
standing and to students who formally change their areas of specialization
after admission and study in one advanced program.
REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING
THE DOCTORAL DEGREE
Requirements given in this section are those which apply generally to
all doctoral programs except as indicated. The programs of the individual
colleges or schools may involve additional requirements applicable only
to their particular programs.
Doctoral Degrees Conferred
A program leading to the Doctor of Arts is offered in Humanistic Studies. Programs
leading to the Doctor of Philosophy are offered in many fields in the College
of Arts & Sciences, and the Schools of Public Health, Education, Social
Welfare, Criminal Justice, Nanosciences and Nanoengineering, and the Nelson
A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. Interdisciplinary Ph.D.
programs are additionally offered in Organizational Studies and Information
Science. A program leading to the Doctor of Psychology is offered in School
Psychology, and a program leading to the Doctor of Public Health is offered
in the School of Public Health.
Credit Requirements
Each program, including the dissertation, leading to a doctoral degree
requires as a minimum three years of full-time study beyond the baccalaureate
or the equivalent over a longer period. In addition, special requirements
for competence in research methodology, foreign languages, and in other
research tools ordinarily extend the basic time requirement.
Each program leading to a Ph.D. includes as a minimum two years of full-
time graduate study (60 credits), or the equivalent, and at least one additional
year devoted to the necessary research and writing of an acceptable dissertation.
Programs leading to a D.A. include as a minimum two years of full-time
graduate study (60 or 63 credits), or the equivalent, one regular session
given full-time to an appropriate internship, and at least one regular
session devoted to the necessary preparation and writing of an acceptable
dissertation. The programs leading to an Ed.D. and Psy.D. include as a
minimum 78 credits of appropriate graduate study plus at least one regular
session devoted to the necessary research and writing of an acceptable
dissertation. However, the minimums in a particular program may and
frequently do exceed these amounts, and students are held to those applicable
to the particular program to which they have been admitted.
Residence Study and Advanced Standing
Of the credits of graduate study required beyond the baccalaureate
and antecedent to final dissertation research and writing
established for all doctoral programs at least 50%, or 30
credits minimum for programs of less than 60 credits total,
must be completed through graduate study at this University.
Applicants for admission to the doctoral programs who have
completed graduate courses or programs elsewhere may apply
for admission with advanced standing
Doctoral Study in Residence
Prospective doctoral students should be aware that some doctoral
programs require a period of full-time study in residence.
Individuals should consult the policy guidelines of the specific
doctorate-granting unit to which they seek admission with
respect to this issue. If none is listed within the program
description, then the policy listed below is in effect.
Each student in a doctoral program must engage in full-time
study beyond the master's degree or equivalent at the University
in at least two sessions after admission to the advanced program.
This requirement is designed to insure for each doctoral student
a sustained period of intensive intellectual growth. For this
purpose a student will enroll in full-time study (12 credits)
taken in each of two sessions, or in a regular session and
a summer session, not necessarily consecutive, which must
be completed satisfactorily.
Graduate assistants holding a full assistantship may meet
the full-time residency requirement by completing one academic
year in such a position, including the satisfactory completion
of a minimum of 9 credits per term plus satisfactory completion
of assigned duties.
Any appeals of this policy will be made and approved at the
departmental level.
Research Tools
Programs leading to the Ph.D., D.A., or Ed.D. require the demonstration
through examination at this University of a reading knowledge of at least
one foreign language and/or the demonstration at this University of competence
in another appropriate research tool.
Refer to the descriptions of individual programs for the requirements
which apply.
General Regulations Governing Research
Tool Requirements:
Foreign Language: A knowledge of an appropriate foreign
language is a communication skill required in several graduate programs
as a scholarly tool essential to research in the major field. In other
programs it is an optional research tool. The requirement may call for
a reading knowledge or for a high degree of competence in
the language. In either case, a basic knowledge of the structure and vocabulary
of the language is required in addition to a knowledge of the vocabulary
of the field or discipline. A high degree of competence in a language requires,
in addition, a knowledge of the language as a humanistic study and a sensitivity
to it developed through a wide reading of its classics.
Responsibility for the level of competence required, for the nature
of the examination to be taken by the student, and for the standards utilized
in the evaluation rests with the department which offers the program.
General regulations and procedures governing the satisfaction of foreign
language requirements follow. Description of individual programs should
be consulted for departmental regulations and procedures. Information concerning
schedules of examinations, reading lists, nature of examination, standards,
and general procedures may be obtained from the appropriate academic department.
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Depending on the program, a foreign language requirement may be met in
one or more of the following ways:
a. By local examination constructed, administered, and evaluated by the student's major department;
b. By completion of an appropriate Graduate School Foreign Language Test of
the Educational Testing Service (E.T.S.) (available in French, German,
Russian, and Spanish);
c. By local examination conducted by the appropriate foreign language department;
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Unless otherwise specified by the department, there is no limit on the
number of times a graduate student may take a language examination;
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English may not be used to satisfy a foreign language requirement;
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With the approval of their major department, foreign students may present
their native language in meeting a requirement for one foreign language;
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In programs in which the E.T.S. examination is an authorized option, the
passing score varies by department but may not be lower than 500. Consult
individual program descriptions for requirements;
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In the programs in which the E.T.S. examination is an authorized option,
a score on an E.T.S. test taken prior to admission to a program may be
applied to the satisfaction of a foreign language requirement at the discretion
of the department;
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The limit of time between the satisfaction of a foreign language requirement
and admission to candidacy for a graduate degree is at the discretion of
the department;
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Graduate students may not be required to take a language course. However,
students may be encouraged to audit or take a regular language course,
or to take a language course especially designed to assist them, if this
seems to be the best way to build language competence to the desired level;
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Official designees of a department may certify the language competence
of candidates for advanced degrees who have completed graduate study in
the language or who otherwise present superior qualifications in the language.
This evaluation will be accepted by the Dean of Graduate Studies in place
of the required examination upon proper substantiation. This authorization
does not include acceptance of a foreign language requirement completed
at another college or university;
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Successful completion of a foreign language requirement is recorded on
a graduate student's transcript. Examinations failed are not recorded on
the transcript.
Other Research Tools: A competence in quantitative techniques,
a knowledge of statistics, or mastery of other special tools for research
and investigation, apart from a foreign language, is considered essential
in many disciplines and for many kinds of research.
Descriptions of individual programs should be consulted for departmental
requirements in these research tools and their evaluation.
Responsibility for the evaluation of a student's competence in such
techniques rests with the student's major department. The department may,
however, require the student to be examined, or otherwise meet standards
of accomplishment in another appropriate department.
Comprehensive Examination
Prospective doctoral candidates are required to pass a comprehensive exam.
The examination is designed to ascertain the student's general knowledge of
the subject, acquaintance with scholarly research methods and skills, and ability
to organize and present materials. The examination is not restricted to the
content of graduate courses but is comprehensive in character. The timing, precise
content, and format (written, oral, or both) of the comprehensive examination
are specified by departmental/program regulations: Students have the responsibility
to inform themselves of these details at the commencement of their program.
Admission to Candidacy
Admission to doctoral candidacy means that, in the judgment of the faculty,
the doctoral student has an adequate knowledge of the field and the specialty,
knows how to use the academic resources, has potential to do original research,
and complete the dissertation. The qualifying procedures include the following:
- passing all requisite departmental/program comprehensive/qualifying exam(s)
satisfying University resident study requirements
achieving a satisfactory academic record: at least a B (3.0) average in all
resident graduate courses applicable to the degree
satisfying the research tool requirements
certification that dissertation research involving human subjects, animal
subjects, or biohazardous materials has been approved by the applicable University compliance committee(s): Institutional
Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
or an IRB, IACUC, or IBC that has been designated by the University as demonstrated by an approval letter,
or written acknowledgement by the student and advisor that such research must be approved in advance by the
IRB, IACUC, or IBC and thatengaging in such research without approval would constitute misconduct
satisfying all other program specific candidacy requirements.
Admission to candidacy is not automatic, and a graduate student becomes a candidate
for a doctoral degree only with the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies,
on behalf of the Graduate Academic Council, acting upon the recommendation of
the program faculty and/or the dean of the school or college directing the program.
Students in doctoral programs should be admitted to candidacy at least one
session (exclusive of a summer session) before the acceptance of their dissertation
and the completion of all requirements of the degree.
Continuous Registration of Doctoral
Students
All students enrolled in doctoral programs must maintain continuous registration
for each fall and spring session (except for periods of official leave of absence
prior to candidacy) until they have completed all program requirements. Minimum
registration consists of 3 credits of approved course work, registration for
dissertation load (899 courses only), or registration for other field work courses
that have been approved as full-time by the Dean of Graduate Studies or the
Graduate Academic Council.
Summer sessions registration cannot be accepted in lieu of registration
for fall and spring sessions. A student who neither registers for each
fall and spring session nor has received an official leave of absence is
subject to termination unless good cause not to do so is shown by the student
after notification of such pending action.
Statutes of Limitations
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The required full-time study in residence must be completed within four
calendar years from the date of initial registration in the program in
the fall, three and one-half years from the date of initial registration
in the program in the spring.
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All requirements for a doctoral degree must be completed within eight calendar
years from the date of initial registration in the program.
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These statutes apply equally to students who enter with or without advanced
standing and to students who formally change their areas of specialization
after admission and study in one advanced program.
Policies Pertaining to the Doctoral Dissertation
Dissertation
Doctoral programs require the submission of an acceptable dissertation. The dissertation is the
culmination of a program of advanced study leading to a doctoral degree and, as such, is expected
to attest to the attainment of a high degree of scholarly competence. The dissertation must report
in accepted scholarly style on an investigation of a problem of significance in the major field of
study that modifies, enlarges and/or makes a unique contribution to what has previously been known.
It must demonstrate that the candidate is capable of sophisticated, independent research, analysis,
and scholarly reporting in an academic discipline or professional field.
Policies and procedures pertaining to dissertation development in each doctoral program, consistent
with the minimal University standards that follow, should be available from each doctoral program
office or department.
The Dissertation Committee
Doctoral students must have a dissertation or research committee to guide their dissertation project or
research and to approve each stage of the process. Ordinarily, each dissertation committee must have a
University at Albany full-time faculty member as chair. Individual exceptions to this requirement must
be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. A faculty member may continue as chair of the dissertation
committee after leaving the University. It is the committee chair�s responsibility to be accessible to the
student and to see that the other members of the committee are kept informed of the student�s progress so
that the committee members may react constructively and in a timely fashion. It is the student�s
responsibility to keep the dissertation chair informed of his/her progress.
Students must play a role in shaping the membership of their dissertation committee. The student and committee will
have to agree mutually on a topic. There should be as much consistency as possible in the membership of the committee
which initially agrees to the topic, advises the student, and recommends the final evaluation of the dissertation to the
appropriate academic unit.
The dissertation committee must consist of a minimum of three members, two of which must be from the student�s school/college,
and at least one of these must be from the student�s major program/department. Departments and /or programs are encouraged
to include at least one committee member external to the department or program faculties. Ordinarily, only those with an
earned doctorate or those who hold a full professorship are eligible to participate formally in dissertation advisement
and the approval of a dissertation. The final membership of each dissertation committee must be approved in accordance
with the process specified in the program specific policies/procedures.
Dissertation Approval
Responsibility for the final evaluation and acceptance of a dissertation rests with the departmental or program faculty and the
candidate�s dissertation or doctoral committee.
While students must be given an on-going evaluation of their dissertation by their dissertation committee as various sections or
chapters are completed, final approval shall be given only to a completed work. Departments and/or programs are encouraged to
provide, or require, an opportunity for students to publicly present and defend the results of their research as part of the final
approval process. Too, a final review or examination may be scheduled with the comments, advice, recommendations, and evaluations
of outside readers being considered by the dissertation committee. To be accepted, a dissertation must be approved by a majority
of the dissertation committee.
The final dissertation presented to the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the doctoral
degree must be the one approved by the dissertation committee.
Submittal of Approved Dissertations
In order for a dissertation to be accepted by the University in partial fulfillment of requirements for the doctoral degree, it must be submitted
in acceptable form according to procedures specified by the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies, by May 1 for degrees to be conferred in May,
by August 1 for degrees to be conferred in August, and by December 1 for degrees to be conferred in December. Specifications for such submittal
procedures and �acceptable form� shall be developed and maintained by the Dean of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Graduate Academic
Council and University Libraries for archival purposes.
Doctoral students admitted in Spring 2006 or thereafter will be expected to submit the approved dissertation in authorized digital form. Students should
familiarize themselves with all digital dissertation submittal regulations and procedures early in their doctoral studies.
FACULTY ELIGIBILITY TO TEACH GRADUATE
COURSES
Graduate instruction may only be given by:
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Faculty members who hold an earned doctorate or the Master of Fine Arts (MFA); or
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Faculty members who hold the rank of associate professor or higher or;
Exceptions to allow other faculty to provide graduate instruction shall be considered within each school/college, with action on such requests by the respective school/college dean to be reported (with rationale for decision) to the Graduate Academic Council & Graduate Dean, and (without rationale) to the Registrar. It is expected that all requests for exception shall minimally contain (1) Instructor�s CV or r�sum� (2) duration of proposed authorization (not to exceed five years), (3) course syllabus, (4) support correspondence from Chair or Program Director explaining why the exception is warranted, summarizing qualifications in relation to course content, audience, enrollment, and need. Schools/colleges may develop policy/procedures that require additional information. The Graduate Academic Council retains final authority regarding any exception to graduate instruction policy.
STUDENT COMPLAINTS
Section 494C(j) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, provides
that a student, faculty member or any other person who believes he or she
has been aggrieved by an institution of higher education has the right
to file a written complaint.
In New York State, a complaint may be filed by any person with reason
to believe that an institution has acted contrary to its published standards
or that conditions at the institution appear to jeopardize the quality
of the institution's instructional programs or the general welfare of its
students. Any person who believes he or she has been aggrieved by an institution
on or after May 4, 1994, may file a written complaint with the Department
within three years of the alleged incident.
How to File a Complaint
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The person should first try to resolve the complaint directly with the
institution by following the internal complaint procedures provided by
the institution. An institution of higher education is required to publish
its internal complaint procedure in a primary information document such
as the catalog or student handbook. (The Department suggests that the complainant
keep copies of all correspondence with the institution.)
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If a person is unable to resolve the complaint with the institution or
believes that the institution has not properly addressed the concerns,
he or she may send a letter to the Postsecondary Complaint Registry to
request a complaint form:
New York State Education Department
Office of College & University Evaluation
Mezzanine 5 North
Albany, New York 12230
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The Postsecondary Complaint Registry Form should be completed, signed,
and sent to the above address. The completed form should indicate the resolution
being sought and any efforts that have been made to resolve the complaint
through the institution's internal complaint processes. Copies of all relevant
documents should be included.
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After receiving the completed form, the Department will notify the complainant
of its receipt and make any necessary request for further information.
When appropriate, the Department will also advise the institution that
a complaint has been made and, when appropriate, the nature of the complaint.
The complainant will also be notified of the name of the evaluator assigned
to address the specific complaint. The evaluator may contact the complainant
for additional information.
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The Department will make every effort to address and resolve complaints
within ninety days from the receipt of the complaint form.
Complaint Resolution
Some complaints may fall within the jurisdiction of an agency or organization
other than the State Education Department. These complaints will be referred
to the entity with appropriate jurisdiction. When a complaint concerns
a matter that falls solely within the jurisdiction of the institution of
higher education, the complainant will be notified and the Department will
refer the complaint to the institution in question and request that the
matter receive a review and response.
Upon conclusion of the Department's complaint review or upon a disposition
of the complaint by referral to another agency or organization, or to the
institution of higher education, the Department will issue a written notice
to the complainant describing the resolution of the complaint. The complainant
may contact the Department evaluator directly for follow-up information
or for additional assistance.
