Additional Academic Regulations for Graduate Students

The University Academic Regulations listed above also apply to graduate students with the following modifications:

1. No student may register for more than 12 semester credit hours in a semester without the consent of the dean of the Graduate School and the program director.
2. The grade of C is the lowest grade that carries with it graduate credit. Courses receiving lower grades (e.g. C-) will not carry graduate credit, but will be included in the student’s cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) calculated according to the point system described in the University Academic Regulations (V. Grades and Credits).
3. Students who receive an IP in Thesis 599/599X, Dissertation 699/699X, or a graduate course are normally expected to comply with the academic regulation that the work be completed within one year. However, in exceptional cases the dean of the Graduate School may, upon recommendation of the graduate program director, extend the period of time which a student has to complete the thesis or the course and receive a grade.
4. No course or practicum numbered above 499 may be taken on a “pass/no pass” basis for credit hours required toward an advanced degree, except Thesis 599/599X, Dissertation 699/699X, or if the grade mode for the course has been designated in the Bulletin by the individual graduate program as pass/no pass.
5. Students may not use credit hours obtained by challenge or advanced placement toward the credit hours required for an advanced degree.
6. Thirty semester credit hours of courses numbered 500 and above are the minimum requirements for a master’s degree. Consult the individual programs for the precise requirements as some programs require more than 30 credit hours. Graduate certificate programs require a minimum of 6 credit hours.
7. Students must have a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.00 to earn a degree or certificate.
8. A student must maintain a G.P.A. of 3.00 to remain in good standing. A student who is not in good standing will be given specific conditions by the program director. If these conditions are not fulfilled, the student will be dismissed from the Graduate School by the dean of the Graduate School.
9. Graduate degrees requiring 30 to 36 semester credit hours must normally be completed within a period of five years. Graduate degrees requiring 37 or more semester credit hours must normally be completed within a period of six years. In exceptional cases these periods may be extended by the dean of the Graduate School upon recommendation of the graduate program director.
10. Students completing a graduate degree with a thesis or dissertation requirement must complete the project in compliance with guidelines adopted by the Graduate School. Copies are available from the Graduate School or the graduate program director for each degree program.
11. Transfer of credits:
    1. With the approval of the dean of the Graduate School, a maximum of nine semester credit hours may be transferred to a master’s degree program, three semester credit hours to a certificate program, and 12 semester credit hours to a doctoral program from an accredited institution if they are acceptable for graduate degree credit in the source institution. (Consult the individual graduate programs for details as some allow less than this number of transfer credit hours.) However, credit hours or courses used to satisfy the requirements of any other degree cannot be applied to the fulfillment of a subsequent master's or doctorate degree in the Graduate School.
    2. Only those courses graded B or better are eligible for transfer.
    3. No credit hours transferred from another institution may be applied to a graduate degree if they were earned in courses that were completed more than five years before the start of the graduate program.
    4. Graduate credit hours earned through distance learning will be considered for transfer, subject to the same criteria as traditional courses with respect to quality, relevance, and timeliness as well as the accreditation of the source institution, including the provisions of regulation 12[g] below.
    5. Normally credit hours should be transferred at the time of the applicant’s original acceptance into a graduate program so they may be integrated into the planning of a program. A request for a later transfer may be denied.
    6. To transfer graduate credit hours taken at another university during the time of a student’s graduate work at the University of Portland requires written authorization before such work is taken.
    7. Where the University of Portland graduate program has a special accreditation, the source institution may be required to have the same or an equivalent accreditation.
    8. M.B.A. students who qualify for admission may transfer more than nine credit hours of graduate credit under provisions of multilateral admission agreements.
12. Students may not accumulate more than nine credit hours of graduate credit in the non-degree seeking graduate student status. After nine graduate credit hours, such student must seek admission to a program in order to have the credit hours apply to a degree or certificate. See the Admissions section of this Bulletin for additional information regarding this student status.
13. A student who expects to receive a degree at the end of a semester or the summer session must apply for the degree within the time limits set by the registrar.
14. Unless excused by the dean of the Graduate School, the candidate for a graduate degree is expected to attend commencement exercises at which the degree is conferred.