School of Professional Studies Academic Policies

(formerly COPACE)

Undergraduate (below)  Graduate (click here)

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a basic value for all higher learning. Simply expressed, it requires that work presented must be wholly one’s own and unique to that course. All direct quotations must be identified by source. Academic integrity can be violated in many ways, including but not limited to:

• plagiarism;
• unauthorized collaboration;
• cheating on an exams;
• submitting one paper to more than one class without the explicit approval of the professors involved;
• copying a computer program;
• altering data in an experiment;
• attempts to alter or altering an official academic record;
• forging the signature of a faculty member or administrator.

To ensure academic integrity and safeguard students’ rights, all suspected violations of academic integrity are reported through the Associate Dean or Dean of Professional Studies to the Academic Integrity Board. Such reports must be carefully documented, and students accused of the infraction are notified of the charge. In the case of breach of academic integrity, the student will receive a sanction, which may range from an F in the assignment or course to suspension or expulsion from the University.

Academic Standing

Credit toward the bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees is expressed in terms of units. With few exceptions, each course is equivalent to one unit (four semester hours). A minimum of 32 units and satisfactory completion of major and distribution requirements are necessary to attain the bachelor’s degree.

To maintain minimal academic standing, students must earn a grade of C- or higher in at least two of every four courses taken. Students who fail to meet these requirements will be placed on academic probation, with their progress subject to continual review. Students who do not maintain good standing may be dismissed from the University. No more than eight D grades, with 32 attempted units, will be counted toward graduation. This number is adjusted on a percentage basis for students transferring credit to the School of Professional Studies. (For example, to transfer the maximum of 16 units, students are allowed only four D grades at Clark as credit toward graduation.) Students must earn a grade of B or better in all courses in their majors.

The adjustment, or readjustment, to university demands may be a difficult process. Students who fail a course in their first semester are required to meet with the associate dean to determine whether a different course track, additional preparatory courses at another institution, or non-credit courses through Clark would be beneficial. The School of Professional Studies reserves the right to curtail continuous registration if a student fails two courses completed in his/her first year at Clark. This policy is designed in the interest of Professional Studies students. Once a semester has begun, if a student believes a course is too advanced, he or she should consult immediately with the associate dean of undergraduate programs.

Attendance

The University has no attendance requirements; however, instructors have the prerogative of establishing such requirements for their own courses.

Audit Policy

Certain courses at the School of Professional Studies can be audited. The cost is one-half tuition per course. Please check with the Professional Studies office to be sure the course you are interested in can be audited.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP credits are accepted at the discretion of the associate dean. A minimum score of 650 is required for acceptance of the composition examination. If a student is planning to use CLEP to meet the Introduction to Composition requirement, he or she must take the CLEP English exam with essay. Scores acceptable in other area examinations vary; CLEPs are not accepted in all areas. Students may not receive CLEP credit in an area in which they have already taken and transferred course credit. Students planning to take CLEP tests should meet with the associate dean before registering for the exams to assure that credit sought is transferable. The School of Professional Studies reserves the right to review and establish new CLEP scoring standards at any time, and such changes become effective immediately and apply to all students, regardless of matriculation date. CLEP credit is considered transfer credit; students already transferring the maximum number of course units (16) will not be granted additional CLEP credit. Although transfer credit is usually not permitted following matriculation, matriculated students may transfer CLEP credit during their first technical semester-i.e. the period taken to complete four (4) course units at Clark.

Daytime Course Offerings

Students with flexible hours may wish to fulfill some of their degree requirements through courses offered in the daytime. Matriculated Professional Studies students who plan to register for two courses during a semester may take one daytime course offered by Clark at the School of Professional Studies tuition rate on a space available basis, with priority given to seniors. No more than one-fourth of the total program may be elected in the day program. The associate dean must approve the chosen course prior to registration.

Enrollment Status

At Clark, academic credit is expressed in terms of course units. Most Clark courses are awarded one unit which is equivalent to four semester credit hours or 180 hours of engaged academic time.  

Enrollment status is determined on a semester-by-semester basis based on actual registration. A student is considered to be enrolled as of the first day of classes of that particular semester.  Registration enrollment statuses and criteria are defined as follows:

Enrollment statuses are used to determine financial aid eligibility, loan deferment, FICA exemption, health insurance, and for international students, immigration status.   After each term begins, enrollment statuses are reported to the National Student Clearinghouse several times in the semester to ensure that loan agencies have accurate and up-to-date enrollment information, as is required by federal regulations.  

Facility in Writing

The School of Professional Studies holds rigorously to the requirement that University students meet high standards in verbal expression. All Professional Studies students are required to take both “Introduction to Composition” and “Intermediate Composition” at Clark. Transfer students may receive credit for composition courses taken at other accredited institutions; however, transfer credit for composition is allowed only on the introductory level. Intermediate or advanced composition credit will be considered elective, and it will not fulfill the writing requirements. If a student feels that his or her writing is already at an advanced level, a portfolio of the student’s previous work may be submitted for review for waiver consideration. Should the course be waived, the student may take an English course with a significant writing component in its place, with the approval of the associate dean.

General University Graduation Requirements

In addition to meeting all academic requirements, a student’s disciplinary record must be in good standing in order to be eligible to receive a degree from the University. Clark may place a hold on the conferral of the degree along with other student records if any of the following exist with regard to a student’s disciplinary record: any pending disciplinary proceeding, any pending appeals of a disciplinary proceeding or sanction, or any pending or active sanctions.

Grading

The following letter grades are awarded upon completion of a course: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, F (no credit is awarded for an F or W grade). The grade of W has two versions: W (withdrawn), and WR (withdrawn with reason). A grade of WR requires the approval of the associate dean. A student wishing to withdraw from a course must do so according to the dates listed on the academic calendar. No withdrawals are allowed during the last three scheduled class meetings. Failure to withdraw formally from a course will result in the grade of F. Students who receive four grades of W within a two-year period may be placed on academic probation and are required to meet with the associate dean.

Honors/Latin Honors

General course of study honors are awarded at three levels: cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude. Students receiving bachelor’s degrees through the School of Professional Studies may be candidates for graduation honors if they meet the following criteria: a minimum of 16 units (64 semester hours credit) have been completed at Clark University and at least three quarters of all courses taken at Clark have been completed for a letter grade. To achieve these honors, the following minimum GPAs are required: summa cum laude: 3.8; magna cum laude: 3.6; cum laude: 3.5. Latin Honors designation appears in the commencement program.

The University reserves the right to review and establish new honors standards at any time, and any changes determined by the Professional Studies Honors Board become effective immediately and apply to all students, regardless of matriculation date. There are no set cutoffs for the three levels of Latin Honors; these are determined yearly by the Honors Board based on the academic performance of the graduating class. The National Honor Society Alpha Sigma Lambda, established in 1947 as the National Evening College Honor Society, is dedicated to the recognition and encouragement of outstanding scholarly achievement in liberal studies. The society was founded to honor those persons who meet high scholastic standards while artfully coping with their lives as nontraditional students. Each year, the School of Professional Studies chapter inducts candidates who are matriculated students, have completed more than 16 graded units at Clark, have completed four units outside the major field, and have performed with outstanding scholastic achievement (3.50).

Incompletes

An incomplete is given at the discretion of the instructor when extenuating circumstances prevail. An incomplete in a course given in the fall must be made up by April 1. An incomplete given in the spring or summer must be made up by October 1. An incomplete is automatically converted to the grade of F if a grade change is not received by the specified due date. If there are sound reasons for an extension beyond these dates, the student should file a Petition for Special Action, which includes a statement of support from the instructor. The petition must be filed on or before the specified due date. Extensions of undergraduate incompletes are granted solely at the discretion of the School of Professional Studies associate dean.

Matriculation to Undergraduate Programs

Although students may wish to take courses without being formally enrolled in a degree program, most students do seek a degree. Students are admitted into degree programs within the School of Professional Studies throughout the year. It is important to apply early and meet with an academic advisor to insure that course selections fulfill degree requirements and are in concert with a student’s long-term goals. Financial assistance is available to matriculated students only.

To complete a degree program, a student must earn 32 units (128 semester hours) of credit. With few exceptions, each course is worth one unit of credit. To matriculate, a student must complete the application for undergraduate admission, available from the Professional Studies office. Proof of high school graduation or its equivalent is required for all degree candidates. Before an application can be processed, official transcripts of all previous higher education experience must be received by the director of admissions. A $35 fee is required with the completed application. Matriculation decisions are based on a combination of prior academics, person interview and review of official transcripts. Students must meet with the associate dean to evaluate any credits considered for transfer from another college or university.

Applicants are informed of their matriculation decision within eight to twelve weeks after receipt of their completed applications and all official transcripts. The matriculation decision letter will indicate any transfer credit that has been awarded. Transfer students are required to take a minimum of one-half (16 units) of their course work at Clark University. No more than one-half of the courses counting toward the major may be transfer courses. Upperlevel major requirements must be fulfilled at Clark University. The acceptance letter will outline the approved transfer courses and indicate remaining degree requirements.

Once matriculated, a student must file a petition for special action should he/she wish to take a course at another accredited institution and transfer the credit toward a degree. No request will be considered if the student has already transferred the maximum units toward the degree.

Pass/Fail

Students may elect the Pass/Fail alternative. The non-graded preference must be stated either at the time of registration or through submission of a form no later than the date of the seventh class meeting. Under this option, an award of P (pass) indicates successful completion of the course at the level of C- or better; Students receiving a grade below C- will show an F (fail) on their transcript. The Pass/Fail option may not be selected for courses in the student’s major, except when a professor chooses to offer a course on a Pass/Fail basis only.

Petition for Special Action

The staff and administration of the School of Professional Studies realize that circumstances may occur in which an exception to established policies and procedures is appropriate. If a situation arises in which a student believes an exception should be made to a standing policy, he or she may file a petition for special action. Petition forms are available at the Professional Studies office. Petitions are reviewed by the Professional Studies associate dean and appropriate committee members.

Posthumous Degree

The University may grant undergraduate and graduate degrees posthumously. To be eligible for consideration for the awarding of a posthumous degree, the deceased student must at the time of death:

• be an enrolled student in good standing with the university;
• have completed 75% of the degree requirements based on normal academic progress (have achieved senior status as an undergraduate; completed 75% of course requirements for a Master’s degree; have a draft of a dissertation/degree paper and completed all other degree requirements for the Ph.D.).

When a request to award a posthumous degree to an eligible student is received, the President will consult with the Provost, Chair of the Faculty and the Chair of the Board of Trustees prior to deciding whether to proceed with the awarding of the degree.

Student Absence Due to Religious Beliefs

Any student who is unable, due to religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from that activity and will be given the opportunity to make up missed work with no adverse or prejudicial effects.

Graduate Professional Studies

Absence Due to Religious Beliefs

According to Massachusetts state law, any student who is unable because of religious beliefs to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study or work requirement on a particular day will be excused from that requirement. The student will have an opportunity to make up any examination, study or work requirement missed because of such absence, provided the makeup examination or work does not create an unreasonable burden on the University. No fees will be charged by the University for making such opportunities available. No adverse or prejudicial effects will result to any students availing themselves of these provisions.

Academic Integrity

Clark University maintains standards of academic conduct that have preserved integrity and excellence in institutions of higher learning over the centuries. All work submitted to fulfill course requirements is presumed to be the student’s own, unless credit is given for the work of others in a manner prescribed by the course instructor. Cheating, plagiarizing, and falsifying data constitute violations of academic integrity, as does submitting the same paper in different courses without prior approval of the instructor to do so.  It is the student’s responsibility to consult the faculty when in doubt whether a particular act constitutes academic misconduct.

Several violations of academic integrity are outlined below. If you have questions concerning academic integrity, contact the professor teaching a course and/or your academic advisor. 

1. Cheating has three principal forms:

• Unauthorized use of notes, text, or other aids during an examination or in performance of course assignments
• Copying the work of another
• Handing in the same paper for more than one course unless the faculty members involved gives their explicit permission to do so.

2. Plagiarism refers to the presentation of someone else’s work as one’s own, without proper citation of references and sources, whether or not the work has been previously published. Submitting work obtained from a professional term paper writer or company is plagiarism. Claims of ignorance about the rules of attribution, or of unintentional error are not a defense against a finding of plagiarism.

3. Unauthorized collaboration refers to work that students submit as their own that was arrived at through a process of collaboration without the approval of the professor. Since standards on appropriate or inappropriate collaboration may vary widely among individual faculty, students should make certain they understand a professor’s expectations before collaborating on any class work.

4. Alteration or fabrication of data includes the submission or changing of data obtained by someone else or not actually obtained in the performance of an experiment or study, except where allowed by the professor. It also includes the changing of data obtained in the performance of one’s research.

5. Participating in or facilitating dishonest activities includes, but is not limited to:

• Stealing examinations
• Forging grade reports or grade change forms, or altering academic records
• Sabotaging the work of another student
• Selling, lending, or otherwise distributing materials for the purpose of cheating
• Forging or altering senior clearance forms
• Forging letters of recommendation
• Forging signatures on any official university document

Reporting, investigating, appealing

When a student is found responsible for violating academic integrity, sanctions will be imposed. Sanctions for a first offense may include but are not limited to one or a combination of the following responses:

• Letter of warning
• Grade of zero for the particular assignment
• Grade of F (failure) for the course
• Academic Probation
• Notation of sanction on the student’s academic record
• Suspension from the University
• Expulsion from the University

If a student is found responsible for a second offense, a hearing may be convened and harsher sanctions will be imposed. These may include one or a combination of the following:

• Grade of F (failure) for the course
• Suspension from the University
• Expulsion from the University

Attendance

There is no university-wide class attendance policy. However, many individual instructors do set attendance requirements for their courses and have the right to issue lower or failing grades for a student’s lack of attendance, based on the attendance requirements stated in the course syllabus.

Audit Policy

Full-time resident graduate students* may audit one undergraduate or graduate course per semester with permission of instructor and based on course availability.  Students registering for credit will be given preference during the pre-registration period; audit requests will be permitted during the add/drop period only.  Faculty reserve the right to deny audit requests.  Courses that are audited may not be taken again for credit except in cases where the course is repeatable for credit and the content differs.  Students who audit a course are required to adhere to the instructor’s attendance and participation requirements to receive a transcript designation of “AU” for the course.  The audited course will not count as earned units and does not get factored into the GPA.  During the final grade submission period, faculty may request to the Registrar’s Office that a student not receive a transcript audit notation in cases where students do not meet the requirements of the audit.

*Non-resident and part-time graduate students may not audit courses

Courses Permitted in Other Graduate Departments

Graduate students are permitted to select from courses offered in all School of Professional Studies graduate programs and selected courses offered by the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) Program/Graduate School of Management. Contact the Associate Dean for further details.

Course Waivers

Waivers may be granted for foundation courses if competency in the academic area can be demonstrated by prior academic work. Also, mastery of skill areas through extensive professional experience can be used to waive some foundation course requirements. If a waiver is granted, an elective may replace the foundation requirement. The waiver does not reduce the total number of courses required for graduation.

Degree Completion Time Limits

All program requirements must be completed within seven years of formal admission. Any student compelled to extend their tenure must file a petition. The Assistant Dean reviews petitions and forwards recommendations to the Dean of the Graduate School.

Enrollment Status

At Clark, academic credit is expressed in terms of course units. Most Clark courses are awarded one unit which is equivalent to four semester credit hours or 180 hours of engaged academic time.  

Enrollment status is determined on a semester-by-semester basis based on actual registration. A student is considered to be enrolled as of the first day of classes of that particular semester.  Registration enrollment statuses and criteria are defined as follows:

Enrollment statuses are used to determine financial aid eligibility, loan deferment, FICA exemption, health insurance, and for international students, immigration status.   After each term begins, enrollment statuses are reported to the National Student Clearinghouse several times in the semester to ensure that loan agencies have accurate and up-to-date enrollment information, as is required by federal regulations.  

Exemptions (M.S.I.T. only)

The M.S.I.T. degree program provides an exemption for the Management Information Systems and Technology course when a student can show a similar completed undergraduate or graduate M.I.S. course or through work experience that demonstrates foundation skills in management information systems. Approval must be given by the program director. An exemption reduces the total number of courses needed for graduation. Exemptions are not offered for other courses in the curriculum.

General University Graduation Requirements

In addition to meeting all academic requirements, a student’s disciplinary record must be in good standing in order to be eligible to receive a degree from the University. Clark may place a hold on the conferral of the degree along with other student records if any of the following exist with regard to a student’s disciplinary record: any pending disciplinary proceeding, any pending appeals of a disciplinary proceeding or sanction, or any pending or active sanctions.

Grading

The letter grades used in performance evaluation are as follows: A Outstanding (4.0); B Good-performing at a graduate level (3.0); C Marginal Pass (2.0) (The symbols + or - attached to letter grades increase or decrease the grade respectively by 0.3. There is no C- grade); F is failing (0); I Incomplete (an Incomplete is given at the discretion of the instructor when circumstances beyond the control prevent him or her from meeting specific out-of-class requirements after the last day to withdraw). Only the instructor of the course may assign an incomplete. The letter W is a Withdraw: indicates that the student withdrew from the course (withdrawal requests must be submitted in writing). The academic record for each student is reviewed every semester. Good standing indicates that a student’s cumulative grade point average is at least 3.0 (B). While the grade of C earned in a course is a passing grade, a cumulative average of B is required for graduation. A cumulative grade point average below 3.0 is considered inadequate academic performance. Students are placed on academic probation when their GPA is below 3.0 after completing four or more units. Students who remain on academic probation after two semesters may be dismissed from the School of Professional Studies graduate programs. An F grade in any course may constitute grounds for dismissal from the program. An F received as a consequence of a violation of academic integrity will result in expulsion from the University.

Leave of Absence

Leaves of absence may be granted by the Dean of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the department for a designated period.  A student may apply for a voluntary leave of absence for a period up to 180 days (typically one semester at a time) during periods of enrollment, most often Fall and Spring. Summer is not considered part of the leave of absence period if it is not required for the student’s specific program. At the end of the requested leave of absence, the student may re-enroll; file a request for an extension of their leave of absence; or withdrawal from the university. Two extension periods beyond the initial leave of absence are permitted, after which time the student will be withdrawn from the university. Likewise, if a student fails to re-enroll or file for an extension, the student will also be withdrawn from the university.

A student may apply for a medical leave, based on the leave of absence policy and medical documentation that supports the medical necessity for the student to be away.  Medical documentation will also be required when the student to Clark to support the student’s readiness to return to Clark.

Whether a leave is voluntary or medical, the student is considered a degree seeking student who has temporarily separated from the University and is expected to return at the end of the leave period to resume their studies.  While on the leave, the student is not considered an enrolled student because no registration exists; benefits available to enrolled students are not available to students who are on a leave.

Pass/Fail

A Pass/Fail grade option may be elected: P (pass) signifies performance at a B- or above level; a grade below B- will show as an F (fail) on transcripts. Good standing is still determined by the letter grade submitted by the faculty member.

Posthumous Degree

The University may grant undergraduate and graduate degrees posthumously. To be eligible for consideration for the awarding of a posthumous degree, the deceased student must at the time of death:

• be an enrolled student in good standing with the university;
• have completed 75% of the degree requirements based on normal academic progress (have achieved senior status as an undergraduate; completed 75% of course requirements for a Master’s degree; have a draft of a dissertation/degree paper and completed all other degree requirements for the Ph.D.).

When a request to award a posthumous degree to an eligible student is received, the President will consult with the Provost, Chair of the Faculty and the Chair of the Board of Trustees prior to deciding whether to proceed with the awarding of the degree.

Readmission

After a period when a student is neither enrolled or on an official leave of absence from the University, a student may apply for readmission to seek permission to continue pursuing a degree for which they were admitted.  Readmission is at the discretion of the academic department and the Graduate Dean. Any requests received after 5 years will require the student to go through the admissions process again to ensure the student continues to meet the admissions standards.   A readmitted student is subject to the degree requirements in the academic catalog at the time of readmission; course equivalents and substitutions from the original enrollment period will be made at the discretion of the academic department.

Repeat Course

It is the policy of Clark University to allow students to repeat a course. However, credit will only be earned once, the most recent course occurrence.  Both courses will appear on the transcript and both grades will be computed into the term and cumulative GPA.  Students receiving any federal or institutional aid should consult with the Office of Financial Assistance to determine if the repeated course/s will affected their aid eligibility. Note: some courses (e.g., directed studies) may be considered repeatable for credit; in those cases, students will earn credit for each occurrence up to any limits that may exist for the specific course.

Residency Requirement

An academic year or a minimum of eight (8) Clark units is the minimum residency requirement for students in graduate programs. Individual departments or programs may require longer periods of residency.

Transfer Credits

At the discretion of the Associate Dean, applicants to the School of Professional Studies graduate degree programs may file a petition to transfer selected previous course work toward fulfillment of program requirements. Professional training may be submitted for consideration for course equivalency. However, this will be approved only with proper documentation that must include a curriculum, a certification of completion and an evaluation or grade of the work by the training organization. Courses and course equivalents that have been taken toward the completion of another graduate degree can be transferred into the Clark masters’ degree programs at the discretion of the director of graduate programs. NOTE: with very few exceptions,  Professional Studies graduate courses are credited for 1 unit, which equals four semester hours. Transfers approved for courses of less than four hours will be transferred as partial units.