College of Graduate Studies : Health Science Campus Graduate Student Handbook 2007-2008

ADMISSION:  Requirements / Technical Standards / Retention of Materials / Referrals / Admission Status / Readmission / Faculty as Graduate Students 

GENERAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:  Degrees Offered / Time Limitations / Commencement / Notification of Intent to Graduate / Diploma Dates / Graduation Degree Requirement Fulfillment / Academic Standards / Academic Probation / Grade of U / Major Advisor & Department Responsibility / Academic Advisory Committee / Plan of Study  

The admission of graduate students to the College of Graduate Studies Health Science Program of the University of Toledo is determined by the recommendation of the program Admissions Committees of the respective academic college to the College of Graduate Studies Senior Associate Dean.

Admission inquiries to the College of Graduate Studies Health Science Programs should be addressed to:

College of Graduate Studies
Mail Stop #1042, Health Science Campus
3000 Arlington Avenue
Toledo, Ohio  43614-2598
 email, gradstudies@utoledo.edu
phone 419.383.4112; or fax 419.383.6140.

Requirements for Admission     (top of page)

The application procedure for admission to the College of Graduate Studies Health Science programs are listed below.  In addition, please refer to the specific program information for additional admission requirements.

1. An Application Form completed electronically. This application will be considered valid for 1 year.
2. An Official Transcript of courses from each institution of higher education attended by the applicant, one of which confirms that a baccalaureate or professional doctoral degree has been awarded to the applicant from an accredited college or university.
3. An Application Fee of $45 (non-refundable). This fee is good for one calendar year. Students wishing to be considered for admission for a subsequent year must submit a new application form and application fee.
4. A Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 (on the basis of the 4.0 grading system at the University of Toledo) from the institution granting the baccalaureate. An applicant whose GPA is below 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission.

   An applicant also may be considered for admission with regular student status if the applicant has completed at least 15 quarter credits or 10 semester credits of applicable course work at the graduate level, and has a GPA of 3.0 in these courses.

5. Depending on the program, two or three Letters of Recommendation addressed to the College of Graduate Studies Health Science Campus admissions office, each from a person with authority regarding 1) the quality of the applicant's work, and 2) an assessment of the applicant's qualifications to complete graduate training and to perform in a professional scholarly career. Refer to your program’s admission criteria for the required number of letters of recommendation.
6. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required from international students applying for graduate study whose first language is not English.
7. Official Scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required for applicants to the Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences program, the OTD program and Clinical Nurse Leader - Graduate Entry MSN program. For applicants with a baccalaureate degree from a non-U.S. institution, GRE scores are required for all graduate programs. Although recommended, GRE scores are not required by the other master’s degree and certificate programs for applicants with a baccalaureate from an accredited U.S. institution.

   To be eligible for consideration of a tuition scholarship for the MSBS/research track, applicants must submit official GRE scores.

   For MD/Ph.D. and MD/MSBS applicants, although GRE scores are strongly recommended, MCAT scores may be accepted in lieu of GRE scores.

8. Preference will be given to Ohio residents.
9. A criminal records check may be required.  Information obtained may be the basis for denial of admission or rescinded offer of admission.

Technical Standards for Admission    (top of page)

Our objective is to increase opportunities for persons with disabilities, while maintaining the expectation that all students achieve the goals of our programs. In addition to the academic requirements for admission to College of Graduate Studies programs at the University of Toledo Health Science Campus, there are non-academic criteria (Technical Standards) for admission. The technical standards are basic and essential requirements that are necessary to master the educational content of the programs at an acceptable level of performance. Qualified applicants are persons who are, with or without reasonable accommodation, capable of performing the essential functions in a reasonably independent manner. The criteria for the technical standards for individual graduate programs are listed with the degree requirements of the program. The standards include but are not limited to those criteria outlined for each program. All students considering application to Graduate programs are encouraged to visit the facility to observe the tasks performed and the physical and psychosocial requirements of the program.

Candidates are encouraged to ask questions about the individual program’s technical standards. Questions may be directed to the program director. Reasonable accommodations will be made to qualified applicants with a disability in such circumstances and on such terms as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Requests for accommodations must be submitted in writing, allowing sufficient time prior to matriculation for action on these requests.  The request for accommodations may be found in Health Science Campus Policy 01-061: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability, Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance. 

Retention of Application Materials    (top of page)

Application materials will be retained for 2 years.

Referral to Programs    (top of page)

In the procedure for admission, all applications will be referred to the degree program requested. Applicants to the MSBS or Ph.D. degree who have not indicated a major area of concentration will be reviewed by appropriate areas.

Admission Status    (top of page)

Regular Status.

Regular status students are those students who are approved for work toward graduate degrees in the College of Graduate Studies. The student in this category must comply with all registration and fee payment policies of the College of Graduate Studies

Provisional Status

Provisional status students are those who are admitted under certain conditions indicated below. All graduate hours accumulated while in this provisional status will count toward the degree. All admission requirements must be satisfied before the student can be transferred to regular status. A student cannot become a candidate for a degree while in provisional status. 

Students are admitted in provisional status for the following reasons:

1. An applicant is in the process of receiving a baccalaureate. An official transcript with the degree posted must be received prior to matriculation in classes.
2. Student must complete prerequisite work and/or admission requirements.
3. Student has less than a 3.0 GPA from the baccalaureate granting institution. (For students in a degree program, a 3.0 GPA must be reached by the completion of 15 credits. For students in a Certificate program, a 3.0 GPA must be reached by the completion of one-half of the credits required for the Certificate.)
4. The Degree Program Committee has reservations about the probability of the student's academic success.
5. Provisional status students are those who at the time of admission do not have all of the documentation necessary for admission (official transcripts from each institution of higher education attended, official transcript stating completion of a baccalaureate, original copies of TOEFL or GRE scores, etc.). Admission requirements must be completed during the first semester of attendance or student will not be allowed to enroll in classes the next semester.
6. A student also is considered provisional if they have completed all the requirements for a baccalaureate, but the degree will not be conferred before entrance in the College of Graduate Studies. In this case, a document should be presented from the Registrar of the degree granting institution stating that the degree requirements have been fulfilled and the date on which the degree will be conferred.

Once admitted to provisional student status, it is the student's responsibility to satisfactorily complete the requirements as stated in the letter of acceptance. Provisional status will be changed to regular status after all the requirements are satisfactorily met. The Registrar's Office will be notified by the Health Science Campus College of Graduate Studies of the change of status.

Special Status

Special status students are individuals who are authorized by the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies to take graduate courses.

1. Student should request special status in writing, stating reasons for the request.
2. Special status students are required to submit an official transcript showing the baccalaureate.
3. Special status students are eligible to enroll for any courses offered, with the exception of NURS509, NURS581, NURS603, NURS608, NURS618, NURS696, NURS698, INDI699, INDI999, OCCH699, OCCT699 and those courses offered for the Clinical Nurse Leader - Graduate Entry program. Special status students may enroll in INDI600.

   Special status students who have not been accepted into a degree program are not eligible to enroll in any Professional/Graduate (PG), PHYA or Clinical Nurse Leader - Graduate Entry courses.

4. Special status students are those who do not expect to work toward an advanced degree in the College of Graduate Studies of the University of Toledo while in this category. A special status student may become a candidate for a degree only if s/he applies and is accepted through the usual application procedures to the College of Graduate Studies. Should a special status student subsequently wish to become a student, the credit s/he is to receive for work already completed will be determined by her/his advisory committee upon submission of the Plan of Study to the Degree Program Committee.
5. Special status students, after three semesters of enrollment, must either have completed requirements to be accepted as a regular status student or petition for formal continuance, giving reasons.
6. Special status students are required to meet the same academic standards as regular graduate students.
7. All grades earned at the University of Toledo will be used to determine GPA.

Guest Student Status

Guest students are those individuals actively pursuing a graduate degree program at another graduate school who wish to earn credits for transfer to another institution or those advanced undergraduates taking graduate courses (see the Registration section of this handbook for more information on undergraduates taking graduate courses).

1. A guest student must comply with all the registration and fee payment policies of the University of Toledo Health Science Campus.
2. A guest student must submit a completed Guest Student Application form to her/his institution for a statement of good standing and approval of her/his Dean or Registrar.
3. A guest student must have her/his registration form signed by the home institution major advisor for approval of the designated course(s). Enrollment in these courses must have approval of the UT instructor.
4. All guest students must obtain authorization for enrollment from the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies on the Health Science Campus and submit a $45 application fee.

Readmission to Degree or Certificate Program    (top of page)

All candidates who wish to apply for readmission to the same program must complete or submit the following:

• New online application (with $45 application fee)
• New letters of recommendation
• New official transcripts
• A letter stating reasons why he/she wishes readmission

Credit for coursework completed before the applicant left the program will be determined by the program director. Factors that will be considered include the age of the courses and changes in curriculum.

UT Faculty Who Wish to Become Graduate Students    
(top of page)

In general, the Graduate Faculty may deem it inappropriate for a University of Toledo Health Science Campus professorial faculty member (greater than 50%) to enroll in the College of Graduate Studies on the Health Science Campus. The College of Graduate Studies, will evaluate an application from a faculty member who wishes to pursue a degree in a department other than the department in which s/he holds her/his primary appointment. In applying, the candidate must include the following three additional documents in her/his application:

1. Statement from the candidate indicating explicitly how a graduate degree from UT will benefit both the candidate and UT.
2. A letter from her/his Chairperson explaining how the candidate will be able to fulfill both the requirements of her/his faculty position and that of being a graduate student.
3. A letter of petition supporting the candidate's acceptance, signed by the Chairperson of the department in which the applicant holds a primary appointment, the chairperson of the department in which the applicant will be performing research, the director of the program in which the applicant will be a student, and at least four additional Graduate Faculty members (two for a Master's degree) who would agree to serve on the student's advisory committee.

Graduate students will not be permitted to hold Graduate Faculty Appointments.

GENERAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS    (top of page)

Degrees Offered:  Follow this link for a complete listing of degrees offered through the Health Science Campus

Time Limitations    (top of page)

All degree requirements should be completed within 6 years for the Master degree programs and within 7 years for the PhD degree program (M.D./PhD program limit is 10 years). Certificate programs must be completed within 4 years. At the request of the student’s Academic Advisory Committee, the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies may approve an extension up to 1 year. This is done on a Continuation of Candidacy for Degree form. If the student wishes to petition for an extension, the student must meet with her/his Academic Advisory Committee which will review the request and make a recommendation to the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. As conditions for extension of time, the Advisory Committee may require that a student repeat selected courses or take additional courses. In a degree program that requires successful completion of a Qualifying Examination, the Advisory Committee may require that the student repeat and pass the Qualifying Examination. If an extension is denied, the student will be dismissed from the College of Graduate Studies after the end of the 4, 6 or 7 years as applicable to the degree program.

Commencement    (top of page)

Commencement is held at the end of Fall and Spring semesters for conferring of degrees upon candidates who have fulfilled degree requirements.

Students who have successfully defended their thesis/dissertation or presented their scholarly project  prior to the last day of the semester may march at commencement. The official graduation diploma will be presented when all academic and administrative requirements have been met (after the thesis, dissertation or scholarly project final pdf file on CD has been received in the HSC College of Graduate Studies office and uploaded to the appropriate web site).

Notification of Intent to Graduate    (top of page)

Only students who have met the academic and administrative requirements as specified above will be permitted to participate in graduation ceremonies. Deadlines for notification are posted on the web site of the Main Campus Registrar.

Diploma Dates    (top of page)

The final pdf file of the thesis/dissertation or scholarly project on CD must be in the HSC College of Graduate Studies office by the last day of the following semester in which the student defends or presents. For example, if the student defends in summer semester, s/he will have until the end of fall semester to submit the final CD. The diploma will be dated for the semester in which the defense/ presentation is made. If the student misses the deadline, the diploma will be dated for the semester in which the final CD of the thesis/dissertation or project is submitted. For those with multiple degrees or programs, i.e., M.D./PhD program, each diploma will be dated the last day of the semester in which the student completes all requirements for each program.

Fulfillment of Degree Requirements for Graduation    (top of page)

The completion of degree requirements including all administrative requirements and all academic requirements is ultimately the responsibility of the student.

Academic Standards    (top of page)

A minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) for all courses (including Certificate program) taken at the University of Toledo Health Science Campus is required to graduate. A grade of B or higher constitutes satisfactory work in the College of Graduate Studies. The grade of C is the minimum passing grade for earned graduate credit. A maximum number of credits of C on a candidate’s Plan of Study as listed below:

 10 credits  PhD degree
   8 credits  MSBS research track and MSN degree
 12 credits  DPT, MSBS clinical track programs and OTD (unless stated otherwise)
   6 credits  MSOH, MPH degrees
   3 credits Certificate programs

If a student repeats a course, only the most recent grade will be counted in determining the number of hours of C or lower. A student that exceeds the maximum for their degree program will be subject to dismissal. A student who receives two or more grades of D, F or WF will be subject to dismissal.

Academic Probation    (top of page)

Full-time students whose cumulative GPA fall below 3.0 during any semester will be placed on academic probation. Should the full-time student remain on academic probation for two additional semesters, the student will be subject to dismissal.

Part-time students whose cumulative GPA fall below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation.  If the student remains on academic probation until the end of the semester in which another 16 credits  have been completed, the student will be subject to dismissal.

Students admitted conditionally with less than a 3.0 GPA in undergraduate work must reach a 3.0 GPA by the completion of 15 credits or be subject to dismissal. Students admitted conditionally to Certificate programs must reach a 3.0 GPA by the time they have completed one-half of the required credits.

Grade of U    (top of page)

Any student receiving a grade of U shall be considered to have lost good academic standing until an equal number of credits in the same course with a grade of S have been completed after receiving the U.  These repeated credits must be completed within 1 year. 

Major Advisor/Department Responsibility (MA/DR) Form    (top of page)

All HSC PhD and MSBS Research Track students must complete a Major Advisor/Department Responsibility form before the end of their first year of study. This form may be obtained from the College of Graduate Studies form web site  http://monitor.meduohio.edu/ depts/grad/forms.html.. If a student cannot identify a major advisor within the first year of study, the student is subject to dismissal.

Academic Advisory Committee    (top of page)

The Academic Advisory Committee form establishes the faculty who will act as mentors to the graduate student. This Advisory Committee form must be filed for students in ALL degree programs prior to all other forms. PhD and MSBS Research Track students will complete the MA/DR form prior to the Academic Advisory Committee form.

Plan of Study    (top of page)

The Plan of Study is a defined agreement of course and research requirements to be completed for the degree between graduate students, their respective programs, and the institution. Because the following programs are structured, they do not require a Plan of Study: OTD, PA, DPT, Medical Physics-Diagnostic Radiology, Medical Physics-Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics-Clinical Radiation Oncology programs. The student must complete all the courses on the Plan of Study to graduate. Students may make arrangements with BGSU for courses in designing the Plan of Study (Refer to BGSU/UT Cooperative Registration).

Plan of Study forms are available online at the Monitor site at http://monitor.meduohio.edu/depts/grad/forms.html.

Completion of the Plan of Study with the signatures of the student, major advisor, and all members of the advisory committee must be submitted in satisfactory form no later than the following:

• PhD in Biomedical Sciences Degree   Full-time students - the end of fall semester of year 2; part-time students will develop a schedule with their major advisor and committee members
• MSBS/Research Tracks Degree  Full-time students - before 15 credits have been completed; part-time students will develop a schedule with their major advisor and committee members
• MSBS/Clinical Tracks Degree  These structured programs require no Plan of Study
• MSN Degree   The second semester of enrollment
• MSOH and MPH Degrees   By the time 30 credits have been completed
• OTD Degree   This structured program requires no Plan of Study

Revisions in the Plan of Study must be approved by the major advisor and the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

The Plan of Study must meet all the statutory regulations of the College of Graduate Studies, and must be approved by the responsible degree program committee and the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.