1 GRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING 9 May 2012 102 Kern Graduate ...

APPENDIX C, PAGE C1
Proposed revisions of verbiage in the Graduate Council Doctoral Degree Requirements
policy regarding satisfactory scholarship
Justification
The proposed revisions of the verbiage in the “Doctoral Degree Requirements” policy regarding
satisfactory scholarship (see p. 2) reflect the broader academic policy (excerpted below on this
page) and clarify that the minimum grade-point average must be maintained throughout the
doctoral program.
As currently written, the Doctoral Degree Requirements policy could be interpreted as indicating
that it is necessary to have a 3.00 minimum grade-point average only at each benchmark in a
doctoral program (candidacy exam, comprehensive exam, final oral examination, and
graduation).
The proposed revisions are editorial clarifications only; no change in the policy itself is being
proposed.
http://bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/whitebook/academic_procedures.cfm
“UNSATISFACTORY SCHOLARSHIP
A graduate student who fails to maintain satisfactory scholarship or to make acceptable progress
in a degree program may be dropped from the University. One or more failing grades or a
cumulative grade-point average below 3.00 for any semester or session or combination of
semesters and/or sessions may be considered as evidence of failure to maintain satisfactory
scholarship. Action may be initiated by the department or committee in charge of the graduate
major or by the chair of the student’s doctoral committee. The procedures to be followed in such
action are found in Appendix III in this bulletin.”
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