Residence Requirement. At least 24 semester hours of a student’s work toward a degree must be earned in resident credit courses. All graduate programs in teacher education require a period of full-time resident study of at least one academic semester or one complete summer session. In lieu of resident study, the requirements may be met through an off-campus period of study that is equivalent to one semester or one complete summer session of work. The off-campus study must involve an organized group of graduate students pursuing a specific graduate program under the supervision and instruction of regular Western Carolina University graduate faculty.
Transfer Credit. Policies regarding transfer credit vary according to the graduate program. Up to six semester hours of graduate credit with grades of B or better may be transferred from other regionally accredited graduate schools. Students must transfer credit from both special and nondegree status if they intend to count such credit toward their degree.
Depending on the graduate program, students may transfer six to twelve semester hours of graduate credit earned at WCU with grades of B or better from special or nondegree status. Students should consult with the academic advisor to determine the specific number of transfer hours allowed in a program. Courses used toward a prior degree may not be transferred into a degree program. Requests for transfer of credit already earned are made as soon as is feasible when the student is accepted into degree status. Forms for the transfer of credit are available from the Graduate School. Courses accepted for transfer credit must (l) be appropriate to the student’s program and be approved by the student’s advisor, (2) be completed within the six-year limit for course work applicable toward the degree, and (3) have been offered by a regionally accredited institution for graduate credit.
Graduate students who have been admitted to Graduate School may enroll at other regionally accredited graduate-level institutions for coursework which is applicable to their programs provided they have obtained advance permission from their advisor(s) and the dean of Research and Graduate Studies. Forms are available from the Graduate School. Such course work cannot exceed the six-hour maximum for transfer credit. Students should note that while courses may be transferred into a degree program, grades earned at other institutions are not transferred and therefore are not counted toward a student’s GPA.
Experiential Credit. The university does not grant graduate academic credit for the life experiences of students. A policy has been established to award credit, up to a maximum of 20 percent of a graduate degree, for experiential courses. Experiential courses have been defined by the university as structured, preplanned, experiential-learning opportunities for which credit toward a degree may be earned through regular enrollment in established university courses. Experiential courses are required by some, but not by all, graduate programs.
External Instruction Courses. Western Carolina University has guidelines for enrolling students in external instruction courses/programs. External instruction programs are defined as instruction received at a site(s) to which the student is sent by the enrolling institution to participate in instructional activities. Encompassed in the scope of external instruction are programs referred to as cooperative programs, practical training, independent study, and open-circuit televised instruction which meet the following guidelines:
1. All courses are bona fide: approved by all required college, university, state, regional, and national regulatory agencies. Courses are also approved to meet all licensure and licensing requirements.
2. All courses are an integral part of the student’s program; credit will apply toward graduation and/or will be required for a particular degree program.
3. All courses are appropriately rigorous with assigned credit proportionate to the amount of instructor involvement and control (assigned credit is determined by university and state requirements).
4. The university/college has an agreement on file with specific work sites assuring that the experiences will provide opportunities for application of the knowledge, skills, and competencies gained from on-campus academic programs.
5. All courses have regularly employed faculty members responsible for all students participating in external instruction courses.
Continuing Education Units (CEU) Credit. Courses in which CEUs are earned are not accepted for undergraduate or graduate credit, and regular credit courses offered by the university are not available for CEU credit. Students interested in CEUs should contact the Division of Continuing Education and Summer School for information about special programs and courses suited to their needs.
Time Limitation. Work to be applied toward any master’s or education specialist degree must have been completed within six years immediately preceding the completion of requirements for the degree. Graduate credits to be accepted in transfer must have been earned within the six-year period. Students in the Ed.D. program must complete all degree requirements within five years of admission to candidacy. Any extension of time beyond these limits must have the approval of the student’s advisor, the head of the department of the student’s major, and the dean of Research and Graduate Studies.
This page is maintained by Nancy Carden in the
Office of the Provost.
Last updated: 7/6/2005.
Copyright 2005 by Western Carolina University .