Students in this program and at Michigan State University are expected to maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0. A student with a cumulative grade-point average below 3.0 may be subject to academic review and in some cases academic probation or dismissal from the graduate program.

Grades in this program are the prerogative of the instructor and the grading system which they employ and describe in the course syllabus. All issues of grading should first be a conversation between student and instructor

MSU uses a 4.0 grading system. Grade specifications are set by the instructor of each course and are clearly outlined in the appropriate course syllabus. Questions about requirements for grades in individual courses should be directed to the attention of the course instructor at the outset of the course. Once grades have been submitted in to the registrar’s office, they may only be changed by the course instructor through written application, and all applications must be approved by the dean’s office (please note that many applications are rejected).

Graduate School Standards

A 3.0 cumulative grade point average for all courses counting toward the master’s degree is the minimum university and program standard. If a student’s grade point average falls below this minimum in any given term, a letter of warning is issued by the Graduate School (Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities). The student will be expected to work with their academic advisor on strategies to insure appropriate progress towards degree and reconstituting minimum standards of academic progress. A student who fails meet the standards set by the university, college and department or school will not be permitted to continue to enroll in the degree program.

Incomplete or Deferred Grades

A student who, for compelling reasons, finds it necessary to postpone the submission of required course work may petition their instructor for the grade of Incomplete (I) or Deferred (DF). A letter for this request must be completed by the instructor of the course and contain all information requested, including a description of the work the student will complete and the due date, which cannot be later than the date specified in the academic calendar. The form must be signed by the student and the instructor. The last day to request an incomplete and submit the form is indicated in the academic calendar. The grade of I or DF shall remain on the student’s transcript until a grade has been submitted by the instructor.

A grade of “I” or incomplete may be given after a student has satisfactorily completed 12 weeks of the course but is unable to complete the work within the allotted time period because of “illness or other compelling reason,” and the professor believes that the student can complete the work without repeating the course. The required work must be completed, and a grade must be reported to the Office of the Registrar no later than the middle of the student’s next semester in attendance (summer session excluded) if that semester is within one calendar year following receipt of the I-Incomplete.

A grade of “DF” or deferred may be given only to graduate students who are doing satisfactory work but cannot complete it because of reasons acceptable to the instructor. Deferred grades need to be resolved within one year, although the instructor may stipulate a shorter time frame. The required work must be completed and a grade reported within six months (190 calendar days from the last class day of the term of instruction), with the option of a single six-month extension (190 calendar days).

Students may apply to transfer a maximum of 9 credits into this program. Credit transfer applications are evaluated by faculty on a case-by-case basis, where faculty are looking for adequate overlap in both academic content and academic rigor. Students must indicate what courses they are requesting to replace through the transfer credit application. Only 400-level or above courses can be considered with preference for graduate-level (i.e., above 400-level) courses. Courses cannot be considered if they are a) 10 or more years older the semester of graduation and/or b) included in a previously conferred degree program.

Students admitted to the master’s degree program must complete their degree within five (5) years of the semester they first enrolled. Extensions are possible and must be approved by the MATC advisor.  The maximum allowable additional time for completing the program with an extension is five (5) additional years.

It is the responsibility of the student to: a) notify their advisor and faculty of the courses in which they are enrolled of the need for a grief absence in a timely manner, but no later than one week from the student’s initial knowledge of the situation, b) provide appropriate verification of the grief absence as specified by the advisor and faculty and c) complete all missed work as determined in consultation with the faculty. It is the responsibility of the advisor to: a) determine with the student the expected period of absence—it is expected that some bereavement processes may be more extensive than others depending on individual circumstances, b) receive verification of the authenticity of a grief absence request upon the student’s return and c) make reasonable accommodations so that the student is not penalized due to a verified grief absence. Students who believe their rights under this policy have been violated should contact the University Ombudsperson.

Grievance Hearing Procedures

This section pertains to the Graduate Student Academic Grievance Procedures utilized by all graduate academic programs in the College of Education. Students may request a hearing to resolve a dispute with an instructor, but only after trying to settle the matter in conversations with the instructor, the department chair, or program director and, in some cases, the associate dean of the college. The student also may consult with the University Ombudsperson at any stage of the dispute. In the event that a student’s dispute remains unresolved, a grievance hearing may be necessary. The College of Education outlines the current University policy and procedures for conducting a grievance hearing in the Graduate Student Academic Grievance Hearing Procedures document.

The Office of the Ombudsperson exists to assist students in resolving conflicts or disputes within the university. They also help staff members, instructors and administrators sort through university rules and regulations that might apply to specific student issues and concerns.

Students in the degree and certificate programs will have access to MSU computing infrastructure even if they complete their studies remotely. Therefore, students in these programs must comply with the Acceptable Use Policy for MSU Information Technology Resources.

Students are expected to uphold the principles and standards set forth in university policies that maintain the integrity of academic work. Academic dishonesty, violations of professional standards, and falsification of academic or admission records are considered serious violations and may result in disciplinary action.

The MATC is a “non-thesis” program, although students may be engaged in forms of research for courses, or through independent studies. Faculty, staff and students are expected to exhibit the highest standards of professional integrity in their academic work, scholarship, and research activities. All Teacher Education graduate programs subscribe to the guidelines and principles articulated in the Guidelines for Integrity in Research and Creative Activities. Misconduct, including fabrication, falsification and plagiarism, is considered to be serious violations of the standards of integrity and may be grounds for disciplinary action.

Responsible conduct of research

In addition, students in the MATC program must complete the requirements for the Responsible Conduct of Research. These requirements are determined by the College of Education RCR policies. Requirements are sometimes met through coursework, but some requirements may be in addition to coursework.

Academic integrity and plagiarism

Students and instructors in this program are expected to be familiar with the MSU policies on plagiarism. These policies should be clearly stated in each course syllabus. Graduate students have access to iThenticate (Technology at MSU), an anti-plagiarism software that allows one to check manuscripts for unintentional plagiarism before submission. In addition, instructors will have the option of employing Turn It In originality checking software for assignments submitted to drop-boxes in the course management system. Policies for the use of originality checking software for course assignments should be outlined in the individual course syllabus.

If you have a diagnosed disability or believe that you have a disability that might require reasonable accommodation, please call The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) and speak to me during the first week of class. As part of the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is the responsibility of the student to disclose a disability prior to requesting reasonable accommodation. It is imperative that you inform me of any accommodation needed before assignments are due or submitted, or exams are to be taken. There will be no redoing of assignments after they have been graded.

Contact information for the RCPD:

The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD)
120 Bessey Hall
Phone: (517) 353-9642
Email: rcpd@msu.edu

If you have any medical conditions that may affect your participation in a class, please communicate the nature of these conditions with the course instructor during the first week of class.

To meet the MATC Program Goals and Standards, candidates must demonstrate in their synthesis paper and portfolio artifacts clear, convincing evidence of their understanding of essential content and skills, professional growth and accomplishments while enrolled in the program. The portfolio and synthesis paper are considered the “final requirements” of the program and are typically (though not always) done in the student’s final semester. Below is a general guideline to follow regarding readiness for graduation.

The capstone course (TE 808 for most students, or TE 873 for literacy students) should be taken in the student’s final semester. Occasionally, an elective/concentration course or two may be taken in a subsequent semester, but all program requirements must be completed by the end of the final semester a student is enrolled in a program. In any case, students must have completed at least 24 credits or 80 percent of the MATC done in order to complete the synthesis paper project.

1. Filing for graduation. Ideally, the Application for Graduation should be processed no later than the first week of the final semester a student is meeting requirements for the program. Typically, this will be enrollment in TE 870 or TE 872, the two selective “capstone” options and/or elective coursework. The online application then generates the student’s Graduate Credit Statement and Final Certification for Degree (aka the “final cert”), which is the document the program, college and university use to process clearance for degree. The “final cert” lists graduate coursework, addresses residency and other requirements, including the posting of a passing M.A. “final exam” date for the portfolio and synthesis paper review.
2. Completing the Application For Summative Review. This internal document is used to indicate and verify a student’s readiness for review of the synthesis paper.

The synthesis paper is a narrative that tells, in first person, the student’s “story” of their work in the MATC. Students are provided with writing/idea supports, opportunities for discussion and feedback about their work, and clear guidelines regarding formatting.

Students in the online MATC must meet exit performance requirements through the MATC Synthesis Paper, submitted in a web-based format. For more information about the MATC Synthesis Paper, please contact the MATC Program Advisor (matcadvr@msu.edu). Additional support and guidelines are available to admitted MATC students during the “capstone” core courses (TE 808 and TE 873).