Academic Regulations

This section summarizes important information related to academic work at Longwood University. Students must be familiar with the information in this section. It is the responsibility of each student to be certain that the academic requirements necessary for graduation are completely fulfilled. The catalog for the year in which a student enters Longwood University governs academic regulations, program and graduation requirements. Program Coordinators may substitute major course requirements where appropriate. Under extenuating circumstances, exceptions to academic policies may be presented to the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee. Students must contact the College of Graduate and Professional Studies for information and deadlines for submitting an appeal.

Student Responsibility

It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of, and to observe, all regulations and procedures required by the university. In no case will a regulation be waived or an exception granted because students plead ignorance of the regulation or assert that they were not informed of the regulation by an advisor or other authority. Students should be especially familiar with the academic regulations, the requirements for the degree they plan to complete, and the offerings by the major department. Departments reserve the right to determine which graduate courses will be offered in any semester or summer session and should be consulted concerning  available courses. The schedule of classes is produced online each semester by the Office of the Registrar at www.longwood.edu/registrar.

Academic Advising

Longwood’s advising program provides informed academic counseling that makes effective use of the assessment, career planning, student development, and software resources available. Although course selection is important, advisors are prepared to assist advisees on such matters as the following:

• Examining post degree career opportunities;
• Understanding their personal abilities, interests, and career goals;
• Developing an educational program that enhances and fulfills these goals;
• Providing information about college and departmental policies, procedures, and resources;
• Reviewing opportunities for academic involvement through internships, research with graduate faculty, and acceptance to honorary societies; and,
• Evaluating their progress toward their educational goals.

Newly admitted students are assigned the appropriate program advisor. The assignment of the advisor generally is not changed unless the student changes his/her degree program. Prior to registration, students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor regarding course selection and sequence, career goals, and relevant academic policies. Although the academic advisor assists students with curriculum decisions and options, the student bears full responsibility for meeting graduation requirements.

Graduation Requirements - Degree

1. Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
2. Enroll each regular semester for a minimum of one graduate credit hour. This registration must continue with no breaks from admittance to graduation. This policy does not include summer sessions. Students must be enrolled in the semester they are scheduled to graduate.
3. Complete the number of credit hours required for a specific degree program.
4. Complete the thesis, the comprehensive examination, the collaborative research, the professional portfolio, or the external experience.
5. Complete all degree program requirements within five years from the term of admission.
6. Complete a minimum of one-third (1/3) of the degree credits at Longwood University.
7. File an Application for Graduate Degree no later than the completion of 24 credit hours for programs requiring 30 to 39 total hours; no later than the completion of 36 credit hours for programs requiring 45 to 60 total hours and prior to enrollment in the final semester of course work. (Applications are available on the Longwood website, www.longwood.edu/registrar/, select ‘Graduation Requirements’ from the menu.)

Graduation Requirements - Professional Endorsement

1. Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
2. Enroll each regular semester for a minimum of one graduate credit hour. This registration must continue with no breaks from admittance to graduation. This policy does not include summer sessions. Students must be enrolled in the semester they are scheduled to graduate.
3. Complete the number of credit hours required for a specific endorsement program.
4. Complete the professional portfolio or the external experience
5. Complete all professional endorsement program requirements within five years from the term of Admission.
6. Complete a minimum of one-third (1/3) of the professional endorsement credits at Longwood University.
7. File an Application for Graduate Professional Endorsement no later than the completion of 21 credit hours and prior to enrollment in the final semester of course work. (Applications are available on the website, www.longwood.edu/registrar/, select ‘Graduation Requirements’ from the menu.)

Graduation - Commencement Ceremony

Students who are in good academic standing with the university, have three (3) or fewer academic credits or one course remaining for the completion of their degree, have enrolled in the courses required for graduation for the subsequent summer and/or fall academic semesters, and have received approval from the graduate coordinator of their program and the registrar shall be permitted to participate in the May graduation ceremony.

Each graduate program may design requirements to allow students in that program within 3 credits or one course of graduating who have passed any required comprehensive exams to participate in the May ceremony by applying to the Program Coordinator.

Diplomas will be mailed to students normally within eight weeks of commencement or the completion their degree requirements.

Time Limit

The work for a graduate degree or professional endorsement is to be completed within five years from the semester of admission to the graduate program. If extenuating circumstances prohibit a student from completing their degree requirements within this time period, an extension may be considered. To request an extension of the time limit, the student must submit a written request to the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee in care of the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies specifying the amount of time needed and the reason(s) an extension is necessary. The dean will submit the request to the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee and notify the student in writing of the committee’s decision.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status

For academic and financial aid purposes, a graduate-level student must be registered for at least nine (9) credit hours per semester to be considered full-time. Graduate-level students registered for fewer than nine (9) credit hours per semester are considered part-time.

Enrollment

Any student who is engaged in graduate study at Longwood University must enroll each semester in which a) the student is engaged in any form of study at Longwood that involves use of university facilities, laboratories/studios, and/or libraries; or b) the student is supervised by or consults with a faculty member concerning graduate work on a thesis, collaborative research, professional portfolio, or field experience; or c) the student is in continuous enrollment status.

Continuous Enrollment:

All students enrolled in graduate degree and professional endorsement programs must enroll each regular semester for a minimum of one graduate credit hour. This registration must continue with no breaks from admittance to graduation. This policy does not include summer sessions. Students must be enrolled in the semester to which they are admitted and in the semester they are scheduled to graduate.

Thesis/Collaborative Research and Practicum/Internship/Clinical Experience - Graduate Students are required to satisfactorily complete the minimum number of credit hours in thesis or collaborative research or practicum or internship or clinical experience as established by their program, but must remain continuously enrolled in at least one credit hour every semester (including summer) until completion. Students must be enrolled in the semester scheduled for graduation.

In any regular semester that a student is not enrolled in a program requirement they must enroll in GRAD 698. Continuous Enrollment. This course does not count toward degree requirements. Registration must take place during the registration periods as published in the University calendar.

GRAD 698. Continuous Enrollment. Enrollment required in any regular semester in which a student is not registered for a program requirement; course is not graded (NG). Tuition for this course is $50.00. 1 credit.

Students who take an unapproved break in registration by failing to maintain continuous enrollment will relinquish their graduate standing in the university. Students who wish to be reinstated will be required to file an Application for Graduate Readmission and pay the application fee. Reinstatement is not automatic in such instances and will depend on a full review by the applicable Program Coordinator of the student’s past record upon receipt of the Application for Graduate Readmission.

Leave of Absence:

Students wishing to be excused from the continuous enrollment requirement because of extenuating circumstances may request a leave of absence from the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies by submitting a written request. THE STUDENT’S REQUEST MUST BE APPROVED BY THE RESPECTIVE GRADUATE PROGRAM COORDINATOR prior to submission to the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. Requests must be received and approved prior to the first day of on-campus classes in the fall or spring as published in the University calendar.

Except for extenuating circumstances requiring approval from the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, time spent in leave of absence status will be included in all time limits pertaining to the student’s degree program. Students on a leave of absence are not entitled to use any university facilities, make demands upon faculty time, or receive an assistantship or financial aid.

Registration Procedures

All graduate degree and professional endorsement seeking graduate students are expected to register by myLongwood.com; in person in the Office of the Registrar (Barlow Hall); by regular mail (Office of the Registrar, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909); by fax (434.395.2252); or by e-mail (registrar@longwood.edu) if you have the capability to scan the completed documents and attach them to the e-mail during one of the opportunities provided during the academic year:

• Registration: normally a two-week period in November for the following spring semester or in March/April for the following fall semester and limited to currently enrolled, degree and professional endorsement seeking-students.
• Summer Registration: normally begins in March with students required to register by the Registration Deadline for the session in which the course is listed to avoid a late registration fee.
• Final Registration: the day immediately preceding the first day of classes each semester.

In addition to the official course offerings schedule available on the Office of the Registrar web page, www.longwood.edu/registrar/, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies can be contacted for more details.

Schedule Adjustments - Add/Drop Period

Students may make schedule adjustments (adds and/or drops) for face-to-face, off-campus, online, and hybrid courses

• until 5:00 p.m. on the sixth day of classes for fall and spring full term courses.
• until 5:00 p.m. on the third business day after the officially stipulated begin date in an abbreviated term, intersession or summer courses of at least three weeks.
• until 5:00 p.m. of the officially stipulated begin date for any courses which are less than three weeks in duration. If the first meeting time of such a course is after 3 p.m., then a student has until noon of the business day following the officially stipulated begin date to add/drop the course.

Deadlines

Appropriate dates for the last day to add and/or drop and the last day to withdraw without academic penalty for on-campus classes are included in the official college calendar and on the Office of the Registrar website at www.longwood.edu/registrar, under Academic Regulations.

All registration and add/drop transactions must be processed through appropriate procedures by the deadline to become effective.

Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend all classes. Failure to attend class regularly impairs academic performance. Absences are disruptive to the educational process for others. This is especially true when absences cause interruptions for clarification of material previously covered, failure to assume assigned responsibilities for class presentations, or failure to adjust to changes in assigned material or due dates.

It is the responsibility of each instructor to give students a copy of his or her attendance policy in the course syllabus.

Instructors may assign a grade of “0” or “F” on work missed because of unexcused absences.

Instructors have the right to lower a student’s course grade, but no more than one letter grade, if the student misses 10 percent of the scheduled class meeting times for unexcused absences.

Instructors have the right to assign a course grade of “F” when the student has missed a total (excused and unexcused) of 25 percent of the scheduled class meeting times.

Students must assume full responsibility for any loss incurred because of absence, whether excused or unexcused. Instructors should permit students to make up work when the absence is excused. Excused absences are those resulting from the student’s participation in a college-sponsored activity, from recognizable emergencies, or from serious illness. Faculty may require documentation for excused absences in their attendance policy. The Student Health & Wellness Center will provide documentation of needed absence in very limited cases: only for those students who are sent home by Student Health (exp. Communicable disease). The Dean of Students may also provide documentation for students unable to attend class due to mental health reasons.

Grades

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4-point scale is required to remain in the graduate program and for graduation. Beginning with the Fall 2014 semester, plus and minus signs on grades will affect the grade point average calculation.

Passing grades for graduate students are A, A-,B+, B, B-, C+, C and C-.

The grades of AU, I, P, SP, NP, and W are not calculated in the grade point average.

Audit

Class size permitting and with department approval, a student may register for a course on an audit basis. Auditing a course means that a student enrolls in a course, but does not receive academic credit. A student who registers for audit may be subject to other course requirements at the discretion of the instructor. Audit students are charged the regular rate of tuition and fees, and an audit course is counted as part of the student’s semester load. (For purposes of enrollment certification for VA benefits or other programs requiring “for credit” enrollment, audit courses will not count toward the minimum number of credits required for full-time status.)

The Office of the Registrar must be notified by the end of the Drop/Add period for a change in registration status from “audit” to “credit” or from “credit” to “audit” to occur. A course taken for audit cannot be changed to credit at a later date, nor can a course taken for credit be changed at a later date to audit.

Pass/Satisfactory Progress/Not Pass

The Pass/Satisfactory Progress/Not Pass grading option will be used in all thesis research, collaborative special education research, professional portfolio, and comprehensive examination courses and will not be used in calculating the grade point average. The Pass/Satisfactory Progress/Not Pass grading option may be used in all practicum, internships, externships, and field/clinical experiences if so designated by the program and will not be used in calculating the grade point average. Each course will have a minimum number of hours with a “Pass” grade required and only those hours with a grade of “P” will meet requirements for completion.

Quality Points

The quality of work completed by a student is recognized by the assignment of points to various grades. Under the 4.0 system, all grades on courses will be permanently retained in computing a student’s quality point average.

On the basis of this point system, a student’s quality point average may be computed by dividing the number of quality points that he/she has earned by the total number of credits assigned to the courses in which the student has been enrolled. A student’s quality point average is based only on work taken at Longwood University.

Repeating Courses

If a student repeats a graduate course, the most recently earned grade will be averaged into the student’s grade point average along with the original grade. Please note that in calculating grade point average, the second grade in the course does not replace the original grade. All enrollments and grades appear on the transcript. The student must complete a course repeat form in the Office of the Registrar (when registering for the course the second time).

Academic Warning and Dismissal Policy

At the end of each semester, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies will review the cumulative grade point average (GPA) of all degree-seeking and professional endorsement graduate students and will identify those students whose cumulative GPA has fallen below 3.0 after a minimum of six graduate credit hours. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be sent a letter advising them that they have been placed on academic warning and have until the end of the next term (in which they are enrolled in graduate classes at Longwood) to raise their cumulative GPA to a 3.0 or higher. Failure to raise the cumulative GPA to a 3.0 or higher will result in the student’s dismissal from the Longwood graduate program. Under extenuating circumstances, appeals for exceptions to this academic policy may be presented to the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee. Students must contact the College of Graduate and Professional Studies for information and deadlines for submitting an appeal.

Graduate students not admitted to a degree, professional endorsement, or certificate program are expected to meet and maintain the same academic standards as students in those programs.

Upon dismissal, all access to Longwood technology resources is terminated. These systems include Longwood e-mail, portfolios, personal web pages, Canvas, and Smartforce.

Grade Appeals

The faculty of Longwood University is unequivocally committed to the principle that evaluation of student work and assignment of grades is a responsibility and a prerogative to be exercised solely by the individual instructor.

However, should a student feel the final course grade received was unfairly or inaccurately awarded, the student first should see the instructor involved for an explanation of why the grade was assigned. If the student continues to feel the grade is unfair, the student may file a written appeal with the department chair, giving the reasons why the grade should be changed with any available supporting evidence. The Department Chair will forward a copy of the appeal to the faculty member and will invite the faculty member to make a written response. For grades awarded in the fall semester, the written appeal must be submitted no later than February 1; for grades awarded in the spring semester and in summer school, the appeal must be filed no later than September 15. Appeals filed later will not be considered.

The Department Chair will within two weeks hold a joint consultation with the student and the faculty member awarding the grade. If the matter cannot be resolved, the Department Chair will, within one week of the joint consultation, request in writing that the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate appoint a committee to review all matters pertinent to the appeal. The committee will consist of three members of the fulltime faculty in the same or related discipline(s). The Department Chair will send a copy of the request to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. When the committee has been named, the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate shall inform the Department Chair, who will forward to the committee members the student’s original written appeal, a course syllabus, any written response from the faculty member, and all other materials pertinent to the appeal. Through the Department Chair, the committee may request other materials from the student or faculty member. The committee shall decide that the grade originally assigned will remain unchanged or that it will be changed to a grade decided on by the committee. The decision of the committee is final. The committee will report its decision in a letter signed by all three members and addressed to department chair/dean, with a copy to the P&VPAA, the appropriate Dean, faculty member, the student, and the registrar who will record the grade. The review must be completed so that the grade will be final by the end of the eighth full week of classes.

Should the appeal involve a grade assigned by a department chair, the Dean of the appropriate school will assume the role normally assigned the chair. Should the appeal involve a grade assigned by the Dean, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will assume the role normally assigned the Dean.

Students should be aware that the review procedure may result in a grade being raised, lowered or remaining unchanged.

Final Examinations/Statement of Purpose

At Longwood University, the evaluation of learning is considered to be an integral part of the educational experience for all students. The constructive use of evaluation measures provides not only assessments of learning outcomes, it also becomes part of the learning process itself. Final examinations may be one of the most important components of the evaluation of student learning, and they may also be effective in promoting learning. Final examinations may, for example, enable students to demonstrate mastery of course content and the ability to organize what they have learned. The overarching purpose of final examinations at Longwood University, however, is to facilitate learning in a manner consistent with the pedagogy of each course and in a way that is appropriate to the subject matter of each course. Other valid means of promoting and assessing student learning may be appropriate in some courses, including term papers, project reports, take-home research examinations, and oral presentations.

Final Examination Policies

1. Faculty members must require that either a final exam or some final culminating assignment be conducted or due during the final examination period established for the course. In courses for which an assignment other than a final examination has been identified as the most appropriate learning and assessment instrument, the following policies apply:
   1. Final culminating assignments should be distributed to students no later than the beginning of the last week of classes so that students can coordinate them with preparation for other examinations. This policy does not apply to summer or any other courses offered in a non-traditional block of time.
   2. Students must not be required to submit examinations or other culminating assignments before the date of the regularly scheduled exam time for a course.
2. During regular semesters, four (4) two and one-half-hour examinations are scheduled each day. For courses held during the summer or any other non-traditional block of time, examinations are held during the regularly scheduled class period on the last day of each term. Examinations shall be held or final assignments will be due on the dates and at the hours published by the Registrar. No exceptions are permitted unless approved by the College Dean.
3. The final examination schedule shall be published with the schedule of classes for each semester. One reading day will precede the examination period, except for courses held during the summer or any other non-traditional block of time.
4. When students have in excess of two exams per day they may request that exams be rescheduled.
5. The instructor or a qualified proxy, approved by the College Dean, should be available during the examination period to hand out materials, to make necessary explanations, and to take examinations up when completed.
6. Examination and semester grades are confidential and must not be posted.
7. A professor who assigns a take-home examination must inform students at the beginning of the semester. Such examinations (papers, projects, etc.) must be distributed by the beginning of the last week of classes. This will allow the students to begin preparing for their examinations. Students will not be required to submit the work before the date of the scheduled examination.
8. Exemptions to these policies must be approved by the College Dean.
9. The statement of purpose and final examination policies should be published each year in the Catalog and in the Undergraduate Student Handbook.

Course Substitutions

A maximum of two courses can be considered for substitution. NOTE: Another course may not be substituted for a course that a student has failed that is required in his/her program.

The student should discuss substitutions with the advisor and submit in writing the reason(s) why the substitution is necessary. The advisor will then complete the Graduate Substitution Form and forward it, along with the written request, to the program coordinator. If the program coordinator concurs with the advisor’s recommendation, he/she will sign the Substitution Form and forward copies to the Office of the Registrar, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, the student and the student’s advisor.

Independent Study Policy

Independent study under exceptional circumstances may occasionally be offered for University credit to those students wishing to pursue areas not addressed by the regularly scheduled offerings of graduate courses. Independent study may only be offered at the discretion of the individual faculty member and is dependent upon the availability of departmental resources. In order to pursue an independent study, the student must contact a graduate faculty member and get his/her approval to supervise the student’s work. A description of the proposed study and/or syllabus should be forwarded to the Department Chair to be attached to the Course Creation Form. Both faculty and student should sign the proposed study and/or syllabus, indicating their approval.

Students must enroll for the independent study in compliance with the academic deadlines published in the academic calendar for the semester in which the study is to be completed. Students may take a maximum of three credit hours of independent study during one semester and a maximum of six credit hours of independent study during their graduate studies at Longwood University.

Withdrawal Policy

Withdrawal from Individual Courses

Students may withdraw from individual on-campus classes with a grade of W until noon on the 35th day of regularly scheduled classes or, for classes held in non-traditional time frames including summer, until the mid-point of the class. After that date, withdrawals from individual classes are not permitted. A student who needs to withdraw for medical reasons from the University or from a class after the deadlines cited above must, by noon of the last class day, send a letter to the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. In addition, a letter must be sent by a physician, detailing the nature of the illness, and recommending withdrawal for medical reasons. In other extenuating circumstances not related to academic performance, the Dean may grant a withdrawal if a written request from the student is received by noon of the last class day. If the Dean approves the request, the Dean will send a copy of the request or letter to the Office of the Registrar and the affected grade(s) for that semester will be noted as W on the student’s transcript. The Dean will notify the student’s faculty members of any grade changes.

To withdraw and receive a grade of W in any course designated as off-campus, students must submit a letter of withdrawal to the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies postmarked before the mid-point of the class. Students may not withdraw during the second half of the class except for medical or other non-academic emergencies. A student who needs to withdraw for medical reasons from the University or from a class after the deadlines cited above must, by noon of the last class day, send a letter to the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. In addition, a letter must be sent by a physician, detailing the nature of the illness, and recommending withdrawal for medical reasons. In other extenuating circumstances not related to academic performance, the Dean may grant a withdrawal if a written request from the student is received by noon of the last class day. If the Dean approves the request, the Dean will send a copy of the request or letter to the Office of the Registrar and the affected grade(s) for that semester will be noted as W on the student’s transcript. The Dean will notify the student’s faculty members of any grade changes.

Withdrawal from The University

Current Longwood students who are not planning on continuing their enrollment with Longwood University are required to formally withdraw. The graduate student should go to the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies to initiate the University withdrawal process. All non-admitted graduate students report to the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies as well.

The formal withdrawal process will ensure cancellation of registered courses, tuition, and other associated charges. Students must officially withdraw from the University (drop all registered credits within the appropriate add/drop period) to prevent the assessment of tuition and fee charges before the first day of the academic semester. Withdrawal is not official until a student has completed the withdrawal paperwork with the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. Until this is completed, the student will still accrue financial liability.

Please note that the following actions will not substitute for a formal withdrawal (or course cancellation) and will not be considered justification for elimination or reduction of charges:

1. Failure to submit payment for a course after registering.
2. Failure to officially drop a course for any reason, including an account hold.
3. Failure to attend class, log into Canvas, and/or complete coursework after registering.
4. Requesting release of official (or unofficial) transcripts.
5. Failure to apply for, receive, or accept financial aid and/or other third party tuition/fee assistance.
6. Voluntary or enforced cancellation of financial aid.

The deadline to withdraw without academic penalty should not be confused with any deadline to withdraw and receive a full or partial refund of charges. Please see the “Expenses and Financial Policy - Refunds and Charge Adjustments” section of this catalog for information related to refunds and charge adjustments.

Statement of General Transfer Policy

In general, graduate credits are accepted from institutions that are accredited by the appropriate regional accreditation agency provided such credits carry a grade of “B” or better, are comparable to graduate courses offered at Longwood, and are no more than five years old. Internships and portfolio-based experiential credits are not accepted for transfer credit. A maximum of six (6) graduate credit hours may be transferred from another accredited institution and applied to a graduate program at Longwood.

Grades earned at other institutions will be recorded at Longwood University in terms of semester hours of credit earned and will reduce the number of credits required for graduation but will not be included in the calculation of the grade point average. The cumulative grade point average will be calculated only on work taken at Longwood.

Acceptance of Transfer Credits

If the student has completed graduate course work prior to admission, he/she must submit a written request as part of the Application for Graduate Admission with the course description(s) and an official transcript in a sealed envelope. The College of Graduate and Professional Studies will have the course(s) evaluated along with the admission application by the Program Coordinator. Written notification of the results of the evaluation will be sent with the acceptance packet. Graduate credits used to satisfy undergraduate degree requirements cannot be reused for graduate credit.

Approval to Take Courses Outside the Institution

Any regularly enrolled graduate student, who wishes to take graduate course work at another institution to transfer to Longwood, must secure prior permission from the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. The student should send a written request to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies accompanied by an official course description. The request will be forwarded to the appropriate Program Coordinator for evaluation and then returned to Graduate Studies. The College of Graduate and Professional Studies will provide the student with a written “Authorization for Transfer Credit” form if the course is transferable. Upon completion of the course, the student must have an official transcript sent directly to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies for processing to the Office of the Registrar.

Thesis

The writing of an acceptable thesis is an option in two graduate programs - Communication Sciences & Disorders and Education/Special Education General Curriculum Fifth Year. Students should check the programs of study as outlined in this catalog to determine program specific thesis requirements. Students must enroll in a minimum of one (1) credit hour of thesis per semester until completion. Each program sets the required total hours of thesis with a grade of pass (P) for completion of the degree, but there is no limit to the number of credits a student may earn in this course while pursuing completion of the degree. All thesis courses are to be graded on a pass (P)/satisfactory progress (SP)/not pass (NP) option and will not be used in calculating the grade point average (GPA). A grade of incomplete (I) may not be assigned. Students must remain continuously enrolled in at least one credit hour until completion.

General Requirements (students should consult their advisors for departmental thesis requirements): Please format your document so that the Library can easily bind it for the archives: Each page of the thesis must have a margin of at least one and one-half inches on the left and at least one inch on the right of each page. The top and bottom margins must be at least one inch.

The thesis must be completed and in the hands of the examining committee no later than four weeks before the end of the semester in which it will be completed. Some departments require an earlier deadline. After the thesis has been accepted by the examining committee and after the candidate has passed his/her oral examination (thesis defense), the candidate will upload a digital copy of the approved thesis to the Digital Commons repository and provide an original copy of the signature page to the Greenwood Library. Your thesis will be made available electronically, and you do have the option for an embargo. The Library will pay for the printing and binding of the thesis that will be placed in the archives. The student will provide an abstract of the thesis of not more than 400 words to be filed in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.

The completed thesis, when approved and defended, will carry the signatures of the members of the thesis committee.

Administrative procedures for culmination of the process are:

1. the graduate student in conjunction with the Thesis Director schedules a date for the thesis defense;
2. the graduate student submits an Oral Examination form a minimum of 30 days prior to the scheduled defense to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies; (
3. the thesis defense takes place;
4. the thesis director submits written notification to the Registrar of the successful defense including the thesis title;
5. the thesis director awards the final grade in Thesis Research;
6. the graduate student delivers the signature page to the Library and uploads his/her thesis to the Digital Commons (http://libguides.longwood.edu/home/digitalcommons)
7. the Library submits written notification to the Registrar of the receipt of thesis; and
8. the graduate student submits the abstract to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Collaborative Research

Collaborative research is an option for the Special Education General Curriculum Fifth Year program. Students should check the program of study as outlined in the catalog to determine if this is the appropriate choice. Students will enroll in a minimum of one (1) credit hour of research per semester until completion. Each program sets the required total hours of research with a grade of pass (P) for completion of the degree, but there is no limit to the number of credits a student may earn in this course while pursuing completion of the degree. All research courses are to be graded on a pass (P)/satisfactory progress (SP)/not pass (NP) option and will not be used in calculating the grade point average (GPA). A grade of incomplete (I) may not be assigned. Students must remain continuously enrolled in at least one credit hour until completion.
General Requirements: Students should consult their advisors for specific departmental requirements and timelines for collaborative research and teacher research.

Collaborative Research (Special Education General Curriculum Fifth Year program)
The original copy of the ready-for-publication article shall follow the guidelines of a reputable content-area journal. The collaborative research project must be completed and in the hands of the examining committee no later than four weeks before the end of the semester in which the research will be completed. Presentation of the project to the student’s committee must occur prior to the end of the semester. The final requirement for the collaborative research project is the submission of the revised article to the collaborative research chair who will then send written notification of completion to the Registrar and the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Administrative procedures for culmination of the process:

Collaborative Research (Special Education General Curriculum Fifth Year program)

1. The graduate student in conjunction with the Project Director will schedule a date for the research defense.
2. The graduate student will submit an Oral Examination form a minimum of 30 days prior to the scheduled defense to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.
3. The research symposium will take place.
4. The research director will submit written notification to the Registrar and to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies of the successful defense including the project title.
5. The research director awards the final grade.
6. The graduate student submits the abstract to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.

NOTE:
Grades will be awarded after the oral defense. Graduation can occur only after the College of Graduate and Professional Studies confirms receipt of the abstract of no more than 400 words. SPED Collaborative Research projects are exempt from the Library binding requirement.

Professional Portfolio

The professional portfolio option is a requirement in the Education/Health & Physical Education, Reading, Literacy & Learning and School Librarianship programs, and an option in the Communication Sciences & Disorders program. Students will enroll in one (1) credit and may receive the grade of pass (P)/satisfactory progress (SP)/not pass (NP). A grade of incomplete (I) may not be assigned. Continuous enrollment is required until completion with a maximum of one credit with the grade of P counted toward degree requirements.

General Requirements: Students should consult with their advisor for program specific requirements. Development of a portfolio provides each candidate opportunities for reflection and self-evaluation with the graduate program as well as within his/her professional position that demonstrates proficiency in their chosen field. The Portfolio can be paper or electronic and should represent an extensive record of progress, and a collection of well-documented learning and professional achievements. The Portfolio will be evaluated by the program faculty and presented to a panel of faculty and program peers on a selected date within the semester of enrollment in the course.

Administrative procedures for culmination of the process:

1. Portfolio completed under instructor supervision throughout the program.
2. Student registers for CSDS 691 - Professional Portfolio  if in the Communication Sciences & Disorders major, HLTH 691 - Professional Portfolio  if in the Education/Health & Physical Education major, READ 691 - Professional Portfolio  if in the Reading, Literacy and Learning major or SLIB 691 - Professional Portfolio  if in the School Librarianship program.
3. The professional portfolio will be reviewed and evaluated by program faculty members.
4. The candidate will present a synopsis of the Professional Portfolio to the faculty committee and his/her program peers on a date selected within the semester enrolled in CSDS 691 , HLTH 691 , READ 691  or SLIB 691 .
5. The advisor will submit written notification to the Registrar of the grade.

Clinical Experience / Externship / Internship / Practicum

The completion of a clinical experience / externship / internship / practicum is mandatory in several degree and professional endorsement programs. Students should check the programs of study as outlined in this catalog to determine if a clinical experience / externship / internship / practicum is required. Students must enroll in a minimum of one (1) credit hour per semester until completion. Each program sets the required total credit hours of clinical experience / externship / internship / practicum for completion of the degree or professional endorsement. Clinical experience / externship / internship / practicum courses may be graded on a pass (P) / satisfactory progress (SP) / not pass (NP) option according to program requirements and, if so, will not be used in calculating the grade point average. A grade of incomplete (I) may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor ONLY if all field clock hours have been successfully completed.

General Requirements: Students should consult individual program requirements for the number of graduate credit hours, the number of field clock hours, and the type of placement required. All students must remain continuously enrolled in a minimum of one (1) credit hour each semester including summers until completion of all requirements. Programs differ on the type of grading, please read program requirements carefully. Supervision on site is arranged by each program. Students cannot begin a placement prior to registering for the required course in the semester they wish to begin observing all applicable deadlines.

Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination, if required by the program, will normally be taken in the last semester of study. Students must have completed or be enrolled to allow for completion of 30-40 semester hours of course work depending on specific program requirements, students must have a B average (3.0 GPA) in all courses completed, and students must have already filed the Application for Graduate Degree to be eligible to enroll in the comprehensive examination. Students who complete a thesis, collaborative research, or professional portfolio requirement do not take a comprehensive exam.

Students must register for the comprehensive examination (COUN 699 /EDUC 699  ) no later than the last day to add a course in the semester in which they wish to take the examination. Registration must be done by submission of the Graduate Course Enrollment Request form to the Registrar’s Office. The course does not carry any credit hours but does carry a $35 course fee. This fee may be refunded through the last day to drop a course in the given semester.

The comprehensive examination will usually be of the essay type, consisting of several broad question areas. It is designed to evaluate the students’ competency in written expression and the ability to reason. In addition, the students’ knowledge of and ability to apply specific theory and research relating to their area of study will be evaluated.

The grading system for the evaluation of the examination will be pass (P)/not pass (NP). Students who do not pass the examination shall be allowed one re-examination. Please see individual program listings for specifics about the comprehensive examination in each program.

Longwood Policy on Student Records and Annual Notification

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records and requires the establishment of policies to safeguard student records and data. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education; Longwood student records policies comply fully with FERPA.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.” All students at Longwood University regardless of dependency are protected by FERPA.

The accumulation, processing, and maintenance of student data by the institution is limited to that information, including grades, which is necessary and relevant to the purposes of the university. Personal data of students will be used only for the purpose for which it is collected.

Student data, whenever possible, shall be collected directly from the student; every effort will be made to ensure its accuracy and security. It shall be the express responsibility of the student to notify the Office of the Registrar of any changes in status. Any student who initially or subsequently refuses to supply accurate and complete personal information, as is legally allowed, may jeopardize his/her current student status. Falsification of records with the intent to give untrue information is a violation of the Longwood Honor Code.

Longwood University designates the following categories of student information as public or “Directory Information.” Such information MAY be disclosed by the institution at its discretion. Directory information may include: the student’s name, local address, Longwood e-mail address, local telephone number, major field of study, classification, participation in officially-recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and dates of field experience. A student may inform the Office of the Registrar in writing that all directory information may not be released without prior written consent. A student who desires to restrict directory information from the public must complete the Student Data Restriction form (available in the Office of the Registrar).

Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information as listed above. However, Longwood will notify eligible students about directory information and allow a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Longwood will notify eligible students via email each October of their rights under FERPA.

Generally, Longwood must have written permission from a student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows Longwood to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions:

1. School officials with legitimate educational interest;
2. Other schools to which a student is transferring;
3. Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
4. Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
5. Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
6. Accrediting organizations;
7. To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
8. Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
9. State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Under FERPA, Longwood is not required to provide prior notification to a student when responding to a Federal grand jury subpoena or other law enforcement subpoena, which specifies that the student not be informed of the existence of the subpoena.

Eligible students are permitted to inspect and review educational records of which the student is the sole subject. Longwood policy regarding the inspection and disclosure of educational records is in compliance with the federal statute. To obtain a copy of the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Section 438) or a copy of the University’s policy on student records, contact the Office of the Registrar, Longwood, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909.

Student access to all personal records shall be permitted within 45 days of a written request, during normal office hours. Students may also obtain copies of most parts of their records for a nominal fee. All records shall be available and in a form comprehensible to the student, except for:

1. Medical records which, upon written authorization, shall be submitted to a psychologist or physician designated by the student.
2. Confidential financial statements and records of parents as excluded by law.
3. Third-party confidential recommendations when such access has been waived by the student. Where a waiver has been given, parents, as well as students, are excluded from viewing such confidential information.

During normal office hours, Longwood shall provide an opportunity for a student with proper identification to challenge information believed to be inaccurate, incomplete, inappropriate or misleading. This can be done either in person or by mail. All personal data challenged by a student shall be investigated by the Vice President over the area where the data is being challenged. Completion of an investigation shall result in the following actions:

1. If Longwood concurs with the challenge, the student’s records shall be amended or purged as appropriate; all previous record recipients shall be so notified by the institution.
2. If the investigation fails to resolve the dispute, the student shall be permitted to file a statement of not more than 200 words setting forth the student’s position. Copies of the statement will be supplied, at the student’s expense, to previous and subsequent recipients of the record in question.
3. If a student wishes to make an appeal of the decision, the student may do so in writing to the President of Longwood University.
4. The names, dates of access, and purposes of all persons or agencies other than appropriate Longwood personnel given access to a student’s personal records shall be recorded and maintained. Student records are retained by the institution for at least one year after completion of work at the institution. Permanent academic records from which transcripts are derived are maintained indefinitely. A student may request and receive information concerning the record of access to official Longwood records filed under the student’s name.

Inquiries concerning student records should be directed to the following departments. When applicable, schedules of fees for copies of these records are available from that office.

1. Academic Records/Transcripts - Office of the Registrar, Barlow Hall
2. Disciplinary Records - Office of Student Conduct and Integrity, Lancaster Hall
3. Financial Records - Office of Cashiering & Student Accounts, Lancaster Hall
4. Financial Aid Records - Office of Financial Aid, Lancaster Hall
5. Medical/Health Records - Student Health & Wellness Center, Health & Fitness Center
6. Mental Health Records- Counseling Center, Health & Fitness Center

To comply with the provisions of FERPA, Longwood University will not release education records or personally identifiable information contained therein without the student’s written consent. Individuals seeking access to student records should include a copy of the student’s written consent when requesting non-directory information.

Release of Transcripts

The Office of the Registrar releases transcripts at the request of the student, provided there are no student account holds. Students may choose to request an unofficial or an official copy of their transcript . All transcript ordering information can be found at http://www.longwood.edu/registrar/19251.htm.

Official transcripts

• There is a cost of $10.00 per transcript
• An online ordering service for official transcripts is available to all Longwood students, both current and former, through the Registrar’s website.
• Official transcripts are produced within 3-5 business days of receiving the request. The student will be notified via email once the request is completed.
• If the student does not wish to use the online ordering method, please contact the Office of the Registrar for alternative arrangements.

Unofficial transcripts

• Current students may obtain their unofficial transcript instantly by signing on to myLongwood and clicking on “transcript” under their Academic Profile.
• Former students and alumni may request their unofficial transcript by accessing a request form through the Registrar’s website.
• Unofficial transcript requests submitted to the Office of the Registrar are typically produced within two business days. They may be faxed, mailed, or picked up.

All transcript requests are processed in the order in which they are received.