Graduate Academic Regulations

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CPS (Evening and Online) Students

Graduate 6-Week Calendar

2024-2025 Academic Year

Graduate 8-Week Calendar

2024-2025 Academic Year

Guest Students

Guest students are students who are degree-seeking at their home institution may take up to 9 credits at Indiana Tech, as non-degree seeking, with the sole purpose of transferring those credits back to their home institution to be applied to the degree they are seeking there.  Guest students are expected to provide a letter from the registrar at their home school indicating that the prerequisites needed for Indiana Tech courses have been fulfilled. Financial aid is not awarded by Indiana Tech for students in this classification. 

Attendance

Due to the accelerated pace of the courses, students are required to attend each face-to-face class for the full allotted class time.

If you know that you will be unable to attend the first class, do not register for the class. At times, an unforeseen occurrence may cause a student to miss the first class. If you are unable to attend the first class, you must contact the Warrior Information Network (WIN) within three (3) days of the absence. Failure to notify the WIN within 3 days of a first-night absence will result in an administrative drop of the student from class. The student is still responsible for all coursework required prior to the absence. Be aware that an absence could result in a grade reduction. Two absences during a single-session course and three absences from a two-session course will result in a failing grade.  A single session means that the course is contained in one sub-term, while a two-session course means the course spans two sub-terms.

Logging into your course on Canvas during the first week of an online course is not considered attendance in that class.  Attendance for financial aid eligibility is measured by consistent and meaningful interaction between the faculty and student.

Online students must engage in an enrolled class by submitting a graded assignment in the first 14 days of class as proof of course engagement. Online students who do not have a graded assignment in the first 14 days will be automatically dropped from the course for non-engagement. If you engage with the course within the first 14 days but do not intend to continue your enrollment, you are required to contact the Warrior Information Network (WIN) at 888.832.4742 or WIN@indianatech.edu to withdraw, or you will receive a failing grade and be charged for the course.

Credit Hour Policy

A three-credit, face-to-face course that meets for six weeks: courses follow the formula of the equivalent of 45 hours of direct instruction and 135 hours of related learning activities.  Several different types of learning activities are included within the delivery of the courses and are designed in accordance with the following expectations

• Classroom instruction of at least 24 hours.
• Readings from required texts/articles and other related materials requiring at least 60 hours.
• Preparation of papers and projects related to the reading and/or required research activities requiring at least 56 hours.
• Assessment activities including feedback from faculty on papers/research projects, revisions, and discussion board posts and responses requiring at least 20 hours.
• Direct interaction with faculty and classmates using live discussion platforms, phone calls, discussion board postings requiring at least 24 hours.

A three-credit, online course: courses follow the formula of the equivalent of 45 hours of direct instruction and 135 hours of related learning activities.  For online graduate courses, several different types of learning activities are included within the delivery of the courses and are designed in accordance with the following expectations:

• Readings from required texts/articles and other related materials requiring at least 60 hours.
• Preparation of papers and projects related to the reading and/or required research activities requiring at least 80 hours.
• Assessment activities including feedback from faculty on papers/research projects, revisions, and discussion board posts and responses requiring at least 24 hours.

Direct interaction with faculty and classmates using live discussion platforms, phone calls, discussion board postings requiring at least 24 hours.

Graduate Curriculum

At the time of admission, the curriculum chosen by the student is specified by the degree program as listed in the university catalog.

Students wishing to change degree programs must complete the Change of Curriculum Form available on our website at Registrar.IndianaTech.edu. 

Upon changing degree programs, all students must follow all conditions of the most current academic catalog.

Students may change to the curriculum of the current year with the approval of the registrar. Students may not change to a curriculum in force prior to their enrollment. 

Students are notified upon completion of their change of curriculum by their Indiana Tech email.

Transfer Credit

Students who have attended graduate classes at another college or university may transfer credit under the following guidelines:

• Courses must be discipline-related with grades of “B” or better.
• The total number of credits to be transferred cannot exceed nine (9) credit hours.
• The number of credits to be transferred into a Certificate cannot exceed three (3) credit hours.
• An official transcript must be received by Indiana Tech
• The institution at which the credit was earned must be accredited.
• The credits cannot be more than eight years old. 
• The prospective student must submit a course description and, if possible, a course syllabus.

Academic Probation & Dismissal

Once semester grades are issued, a student will be placed on academic probation if the student’s cumulative GPA is less than 3.0 after attempting 6 credits of coursework. After attempting the next 6 credit hours of coursework, at the end of the semester, the student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 or they will be academically dismissed.

Students placed on academic dismissal status for the first time may apply for readmission after a period of one semester, not including winter or summer semesters. The Registrar’s office determines whether or not a student is readmitted and will notify these students through email and U.S. mail of the decision within two weeks of the student requesting readmission. Upon readmission, these students will be placed on academic probation and will need to earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher or they will be academically dismissed.

Statement of Academic Integrity

Indiana Tech is an academic community that values and promotes academic integrity. All members of our community have an obligation to themselves, their peers, and the institution to uphold the code of ethics by demonstrating honesty, accountability, respect, and professionalism. When academic integrity is compromised, learning is minimalized, and the goals of the academic community cannot be realized.

In order to maintain academic integrity, faculty are expected to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Maintain and role model personal academic integrity
• Clearly define for students the expected level of collaboration (as it applies) on assignments/projects/homework
• Confront academic dishonesty when it is believed to have occurred and adhere to the policy as stated on their course syllabi
• Report incidences of academic dishonesty by completing infraction cards and submitting them to the associate dean of their college
• Act to prevent violations of academic integrity
• In order to maintain academic integrity, students are expected to adhere to the following guidelines:
• Maintain personal academic integrity
• Ask faculty to clarify any aspects of permissible or expected cooperation on any assignment
• Treat all graded academic exercises as work that is to be conducted individually, unless otherwise permitted
• Report any instance of academic dishonesty to the instructor or associate dean of their college

Types of Academic Dishonesty

Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:

• Cheating, which includes submitting the work of another person as one’s own work or using aids such as generative artificial intelligence (software that can produce various types of content) without prior instructor permission. 
• Self-Plagiarism (or Recycling Fraud), which is the resubmission of part or all of one’s own work to fulfill academic requirements in the same course or in other courses without providing proper acknowledgment of the original work with accurate citations.
• Fabrication, which is the falsification or invention of information or data in any academic undertaking.
• Facilitating Academic Dishonesty, which involves assisting someone in an act of dishonesty.

Consequences

The first violation of academic integrity will be handled by faculty at the course level with an academic penalty for the course as deemed appropriate by the instructor. The instructor will notify the student of the penalty and that the incident will be documented at the university level by submitting an Academic Integrity Violation report.

After the second violation of academic integrity that has been documented by the instructor in the same course or a different course, the student will be required to meet with the appropriate dean or associate dean. At this meeting, the dean will discuss the seriousness of integrity violations, and a letter from the dean will be given to the student stating that any further integrity violations will likely result in dismissal from the university.

Upon the third violation, the appropriate dean will recommend to the VPAA that the student be dismissed from the university. The VPAA will review the violations, meet with the student, and make a decision on dismissal. The decision of the VPAA is final.

CPS Graduate Course Numbering

5000 - 7599

CPS Student Load

6 or more credit hours per semester constitutes full-time status

3 credit hours per semester constitutes half-time

CPS Graduate Grading System

The university uses the letter grades “A,” “B,” “C” and “F” in the graduate program. The use of +/- grades is optional. The grade of C- is not available for graduate courses.

Incompletes

A grade of “I” (Incomplete) is only to be assigned when a student, through no fault of their own, is unable to complete the requirements of a course by the end of the current session.  An “I” will not be assigned for a course where a student is definitely earning an “F.” To receive credit for the course in which an “I” is assigned, the student must complete course requirements by the date the instructor specifies, with a maximum timeframe of up to the end of the session immediately following the current session. After the end of the immediately following session, the final grade will be updated to reflect the completion of additional course requirements. If no additional course requirements were completed, the “I” will revert to the grade based on what was completed at the conclusion of the course.  

Withdrawals

No grade will be recorded on transcripts for any drop during the first week of classes each semester. Withdrawals with a grade of “W” will be allowed until the end of the third week of class. After the third week, students may not withdraw from a class.

How to Calculate the Semester GPA:

Multiply the course credit hour(s) value by the quality points of the grade earned to get the total quality points value for the course. For example:

• Add the total GPA credit hours for the semester = 6
• Add total quality points for the semester = 18.00
• Divide summed total quality points value by summed course total credit hours value = 3.00 GPA

Grade Appeals

This policy is intended for a student who believes that his/her final course grade is incorrect based on the course syllabus. A formal Course Grade Appeal must be initiated after the course grade has been issued but within fourteen calendar days of the next session or semester start.

The specific steps for initiating a Course Final Grade Appeal are:

Step 1: The student must first address the specific grading issues with the instructor of the course. If the instructor is unavailable, the student will contact the Associate Dean of the college or the Director of the Ph.D. program which owns that particular course (for example, CJ 1100, choose College of Arts and Sciences). The Associate Dean or Director of the Ph.D. program will then authorize an extension of time for the appeals process or will allow the student to proceed to Step 2. This step must be initiated after the course grade has been issued but within fourteen calendar days of the next session or semester start.

Step 2: If the discussion with the instructor does not resolve the problem, the student may appeal the decision of the instructor to the appropriate Associate Dean or the Director of the Ph.D. program within fourteen calendar days of the instructor’s decision. To appeal, the student will utilize Indiana Tech’s electronic Course Final Grade Appeal Form (this form). The formal Course Grade Appeal must state the student’s name, ID, the specifics of the grading issue, evidence of the instructor not following the syllabus, and the outcome of the initial meeting with the instructor. The Associate Dean will make a determination within fourteen calendar days of receiving the Course Grade Appeal. A letter from the Associate Dean will be provided to the student, informing him/her of the decision.

Step 3: Students may appeal the decision of the Associate Dean or the Director of the Ph.D. program by submitting an updated Course Grade Appeal to the Dean of the college that owns that particular course providing new information exists to support the appeal. The updated Course Grade Appeal must include the information previously submitted to the Associate Dean or the Director of the Ph.D. program in Step 2, the documentation of the decision, and any substantial new information. This information will be emailed directly to the Dean. The Dean will make a determination within fourteen calendar days of receiving the updated Course Grade Appeal. A letter will be provided to the student from the Dean informing him/her of the decision. Students are allowed two appeals, after the second appeal with the College Dean, there are no further appeals available.

Note: If a student is dissatisfied with an individual grading event (such as an examination, paper, or project) he/she should meet with the instructor immediately for resolution. If not resolved, the student should use individual grading events as evidence to support their request for a change in course grade.

Grade Exchanges

A grade exchange is allowed on courses in which a grade of “B-“or lower has been earned. Although a given course may only be repeated twice (three completions total), by choice or necessity, the grade exchange provision will apply only the first time the course is repeated. The “B-” or lower grade will be exchanged with the grade earned in the first repeat attempt, regardless of if that grade is greater than, equal to, or less than the original “B-” or lower grade. The exchange grade, as well as any subsequent grades earned by repeating the class are used to calculate the cumulative GPA and degree major cumulative GPA. The following detail regulations apply to the grade exchange:

• No grade exchange will be made unless the student completely repeats the course.
• All grades will remain on the student’s transcript
• The grade exchange policy can be used for up to two different graduate classes.

Grade Forgiveness 

When a student changes degrees from one college to another, courses not required in the new degree may be forgiven from the student’s cumulative totals if the grades earned were less than “C.” Once courses are forgiven in this way, they cannot be retaken in the new degree.

The Grade Forgiveness policy is available to provide students with an opportunity to begin studies in a new degree without the repercussions of poor grades from their previous degree. All grades will appear on their transcripts; however, the forgiven grades will no longer count toward the cumulative GPA. A petition for Grade Forgiveness is filed with the Dean of the new college, whose decision is final. Upon review, the Registrar’s Office will notify the student of the outcome on their Grade Forgiveness petition.

Sufficient Progress

Students are expected to maintain sufficient progress toward their degree completion and must complete all coursework within seven years after completing the first class. If a student has not finished a course for a period of three (3) years, the student must meet the requirements of the curriculum that is in force at the time of re-registration.

Second Graduate Degree

Students who have earned a graduate degree from Indiana Tech may earn a second graduate degree at Indiana Tech by following all graduate policies and meeting all specified requirements for the second degree. The second degree must include a minimum of 15 additional credits beyond those required for the first graduate degree.

Certificates

Graduate certificates are 12 credits and can be earned individually or paired with a degree. While enrolled in the last course, students must complete the Request for Certificate Completion form. Upon receipt of the form, the student’s record will be audited, and the student will receive the certificate once academic and financial clearance is obtained. Academic clearance is obtained once the student has completed all courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Graduation Policies

Petition for Graduation

All students who wish to receive a degree from Indiana Tech must file a Petition for Graduation with the registrar’s office. The graduation process is complete after the student has achieved academic and financial clearance to graduate. Diplomas and final transcripts are sent only after financial clearance is received.

Students can submit petitions when they are within 2 semesters of the anticipated coursework completion date, or when:

• Graduate students have earned 21 credits; STEM MBA students have earned 27 credits 
• The Petition for Graduation is posted at www.IndianaTech.edu.

Graduate Graduation Requirements

To qualify for graduation from Indiana Tech, you must successfully:

• Submission of all official transcripts from transfer institutions from which you are receiving transfer credit.
• Complete all necessary credits for the degree, with no more than 9 transfer credits
• Achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 with no more than 9 credit hours of C work counting toward the degree. 
• Complete all coursework within seven years after completing the first class.

Ph.D. Students

The Ph.D. in Global Leadership is structured into six sessions per year. Students who are accepted into the program are able to begin coursework at any of these six entry points.

2024-2025 Academic Year

*Sessions 1, 3, and 5 include Continuous Enrollment courses that are full semester length and end on the same date as courses in sessions 2, 4, and 7, respectively.

Ph.D. Course Numbering

7000 - 8999

Registration

With prior consent of the student the Assistant Director preregisters all Ph.D. students for classes each session according to degree requirements and the general course schedule.  With the exception of research classes, most Ph.D. courses are not completed in a particular order, and students will take a mix of courses from the research, global leadership, and concentration courses throughout their program completion.  The default schedule is generally predesigned, and the students are always welcome to request changes (e.g., enrolling for a second course, taking a session off from class, etc.).  TheCoordinator of Graduate & PhD programs is the main contact in regard to schedule changes. 

Students who do not complete coursework for a consecutive twelve months are automatically withdrawn from the program and must apply for readmission.

Students have a maximum of seven years from the date of matriculation to successfully defend a dissertation.

Add/Drop Period 

Students may drop or add a course until Friday of the first week of classes.

Repeats

Courses in the Ph.D. program can only be repeated once.

Students must achieve a grade of B- or higher in all classes for the degree.  Grades of C+ or lower must be repeated.  Courses completed with a grade of B- may be repeated.

All grades will remain on the transcript.

To remain in good standing a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better must be maintained.

Withdrawal from a Class

Students may withdraw from classes until the end of week 4.  Withdrawals will have a grade of W noted on the transcript.

Refunds:

Week              Percentage of Refund

Continuous Enrollment 

Following the completion of all coursework, including RES 8001, all students must maintain active status by being continuously enrolled in one of the following courses until the student successfully defends the dissertation. Students must be registered in one of these three credit courses to remain continuously enrolled, retain access to university resources, receive faculty support and guidance, and remain in good standing with the program throughout the dissertation completion process. Each three-credit continuous development course will span an entire semester and will be offered throughout the year (Fall, Spring, Summer). Students will be enrolled in these continuous development courses in the fall, spring, and summer semesters for a total of nine credits earned in a calendar year. This will continue until the successful defense of the dissertation.

• RES 8111-RES 8112 Development of the Qualifying Paper(3-6 credits)
• RES 8111 Development of the Qualifying Paper (3 credits)
• RES 8112 Development of the Qualifying Paper (3 credits) as needed

During this course, students write the Qualifying Paper in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Ph.D. in Global Leadership program.  The dissertation committee chairperson collaborates with the student and provides feedback on all drafts submitted by the student.  All committee members comment and provide feedback on the final draft copy.  The Qualifying Paper defense will be scheduled and conducted after the committee members determine student readiness for the defense.  May be repeated twice.  Prerequisite:  RES 8001

RES 8221-RES 8223 Development of the Dissertation Proposal   (3-9 credits)

• RES 8221 Development of the Dissertation Proposal(3 credits)
• RES 8222 Development of the Dissertation Proposal(3 credits) as needed
• RES 8223 Development of the Dissertation Proposal(3 credits) as needed

Students work independently, under the guidance and in consultation with the committee chair, to develop the first three chapters of the dissertation. The content and outline of the chapters are in accordance with the standards of the Global Leadership program.  The student is expected to develop, write, and defend the dissertation proposal (including completing the IRB documents) prior to engaging in the proposed research. After the proposal has been reviewed and approved by the committee, the chair will schedule a proposal defense. Following the successful defense, the student is to file for IRB approval before moving ahead with the research.  May be repeated twice.  Prerequisite: RES 8111

RES8331-RES8334 Development of the Dissertation (3-12 credits)

• RES 8331 Development of Dissertation (3 credits)
• RES 8332 Development of Dissertation (3 credits) as needed
• RES 8333 Development of Dissertation (3 credits) as needed
• RES 8334 Development of Dissertation (3 credits) as needed

In this course, students engage in independent research, as outlined in their proposal, and, working under the supervision of the chair, develop and defend a final Dissertation manuscript. Following the successful defense of the Dissertation, the student will be responsible for any final editing and the submission of a finished manuscript to the Global Leadership program. The Dissertation is comprised of five chapters: Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study, Chapter 2: Literature Review, Chapter 3: Research Methodology, Chapter 4: Results/Findings, and Chapter 5: Conclusions, Discussion, Suggestions for Future Research, and Recommendations. May be repeated three times. Prerequisite: RES 8221

Extension Requests

Ph.D. students are given a maximum of six years from the date of program entry to successfully defend the Dissertation.  If a student wishes to request an extension on this deadline due to extenuating circumstances, they may do so via the Extension Request Form.

Student Load

6 credit hours constitutes full-time status

4 credit hours constitutes three-quarter status

3 credit hours constitutes half-time status

Leave of Absence

Students who cannot continue in the program due to extenuating circumstances can request a leave of absence from their doctoral studies on a session-to-session basis for up to a maximum overall leave period of one year. While there are many situations upon which a leave can be requested, such as the birth or adoption of a child or a serious medical condition, a leave will not be granted with the sole reason of financial hardship. The initial request for a leave should be submitted by the student to the Program Director. Verification of circumstances should be included as part of the leave request. Any time spent on approved leave will not count toward the student’s seven-year completion deadline.

Textbooks and Software

It is up to students how they choose to obtain textbooks each session, whether to buy, borrow, or rent. (Many Ph.D. students purchase or rent their books via online bookstores such as Amazon.)  There are two ways to determine an upcoming class’ textbook requirements:

• After determining the next preregistered class, students can visit the Textbooks Requirements Library https://phd.indianatech.edu/phdtextbooks/.  Students will use their Indiana tech student email and password to log in.  We encourage students to mark or “favorite” this page as it will be used frequently. 
• Review requirements in the syllabus provided in the actual course within Canvas.  Courses are not open for student viewing until one week prior to the start date, so students will not have much notice to order textbooks if this method is used.

** It is important to note that the Ph.D. program does not utilize the on-campus book provisioning system intended for graduate and undergraduate programs, so the student should not attempt to purchase textbooks through this system.

Credit Hour Policy

All of the courses in the program are valued at three credits and are delivered online using Canvas as the course management system.  Courses follow the formula of the equivalent of 45 hours of direct instruction and 135 hours of related learning activities.  Several different types of learning activities are included within the delivery of the courses and are designed in accordance with the following expectations:

• Readings from required texts/articles and other related materials requiring at least 64 hours.
• Preparation of papers and projects related to the reading and/or required research activities requiring at least 64 hours.
• Assessment activities including feedback from faculty on papers/research projects, revisions, and discussion board posts and responses requiring at least 24 hours.
• Direct interaction with faculty and classmates using GoToMeeting, phone calls, discussion board postings requiring at least 28 hours.

In addition, students are required to attend Immersion Weekends during their enrollment in the program.  These experiences are not credit-bearing and do not require payment of tuition.  Students must cover their own travel expenses.

Ph.D. Grading System

A student’s GPA is calculated based on a point system. Term and cumulative GPAs are determined in the following manner:

Incompletes

A grade of “I” (Incomplete) is only to be assigned when a student, through no fault of their own, is unable to complete the requirements of a course by the end of the current session.  An “I” will not be assigned for a course where a student is definitely earning an “F.” To receive credit for the course in which an “I” is assigned, the student must complete course requirements by the date the instructor specifies, with a maximum timeframe of up to the end of the session immediately following the current session. After the end of the immediately following session, the final grade will be updated to reflect the completion of additional course requirements. If no additional course requirements were completed, the “I” will revert to the grade based on what was completed at the conclusion of the course.  

Unsuccessfully Attempted Courses:

Students will be provided with a list of attempted courses that were not successfully completed and must be repeated.

Courses with a grade of C+ or lower, I (incomplete) or W (withdrawals) have not been completed successfully.

Academic Performance

Academic performance is measured by:

Credits Completed

Cumulative GPA

• Excellent 3.5 to 4.0
• Acceptable 3.25 to 3.49
• At-Risk 3.24 or below

Academic Probation and Dismissal 

Once semester grades are issued, a student will be placed on academic probation if the student’s cumulative GPA is less than 3.0 after attempting 6 credits of coursework. After attempting the next 6 credit hours of coursework, at the end of the semester, the student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 or they will be academically dismissed.

Students placed on academic dismissal for the first time may apply for readmission after a period of one semester, not including summer semesters. The Registrar’s Office determines whether or not a student is readmitted and will notify these students through email of the decision within two weeks of the student requesting readmission. Upon readmission, these students will be placed on academic probation and will need to earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher or they will be academically dismissed.

Additional policies for the Ph.D. in Global Leadership program may be found at: http://phd.indianatech.edu/formsandpolicies/.

Types of Academic Dishonesty

Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:

• Cheating, which includes submitting the work of another person as one’s own work or using aids such as generative artificial intelligence (software that can produce various types of content) without prior instructor permission. 
• Self-Plagiarism (or Recycling Fraud), which is the resubmission of part or all of one’s own work to fulfill academic requirements in the same course or in other courses without providing proper acknowledgment of the original work with accurate citations.
• Fabrication, which is the falsification or invention of information or data in any academic undertaking.
• Facilitating Academic Dishonesty, which involves assisting someone in an act of dishonesty.

Consequences

The first violation of academic integrity will be handled by faculty at the course level with an academic penalty for the course as deemed appropriate by the instructor. The instructor will notify the student of the penalty and that the incident will be documented at the university level by submitting an Academic Integrity Violation report.

After the second violation of academic integrity that has been documented by the instructor in the same course or a different course, the student will be required to meet with the appropriate dean or associate dean. At this meeting, the dean will discuss the seriousness of integrity violations and a letter from the dean will be given to the student stating that any further integrity violations will likely result in dismissal from the university.

Upon the third violation, the appropriate dean will recommend to the VPAA that the student be dismissed from the university. The VPAA will review the violations, meet with the student, and make a decision on dismissal. The decision of the VPAA is final.

Grade Appeals

This policy is intended for a student who believes that his/her final course grade is incorrect based on the course syllabus. A formal Course Grade Appeal must be initiated after the course grade has been issued but within fourteen calendar days of the next session or semester start.

The specific steps for initiating a Course Final Grade Appeal are:

Step 1: The student must first address the specific grading issues with the instructor of the course. If the instructor is unavailable, the student will contact the Associate Dean of the college or the Director of the Ph.D. program which owns that particular course (for example, CJ 1100, choose College of Arts and Sciences). The Associate Dean or Director of the Ph.D. program will then authorize an extension of time for the appeals process or will allow the student to proceed to Step 2. This step must be initiated after the course grade has been issued but within fourteen calendar days of the next session or semester start.

Step 2: If the discussion with the instructor does not resolve the problem, the student may appeal the decision of the instructor to the appropriate Associate Dean or the Director of the Ph.D. program within fourteen calendar days of the instructor’s decision. To appeal, the student will utilize Indiana Tech’s electronic Course Final Grade Appeal Form (this form). The formal Course Grade Appeal must state the student’s name, ID, the specifics of the grading issue, evidence of the instructor not following the syllabus, and the outcome of the initial meeting with the instructor. The Associate Dean will make a determination within fourteen calendar days of receiving the Course Grade Appeal. A letter from the Associate Dean will be provided to the student, informing him/her of the decision.

Step 3: Students may appeal the decision of the Associate Dean or the Director of the Ph.D. program by submitting an updated Course Grade Appeal to the Dean of the college that owns that particular course providing new information exists to support the appeal. The updated Course Grade Appeal must include the information previously submitted to the Associate Dean or the Director of the Ph.D. program in Step 2, the documentation of the decision, and any substantial new information. This information will be emailed directly to the Dean. The Dean will make a determination within fourteen calendar days of receiving the updated Course Grade Appeal. A letter will be provided to the student from the Dean informing him/her of the decision. Students are allowed two appeals, after the second appeal with the College Dean, there are no further appeals available.

Note: If a student is dissatisfied with an individual grading event (such as an examination, paper, or project) he/she should meet with the instructor immediately for resolution. If not resolved, the student should use individual grading events as evidence to support their request for a change in course grade.

Annual Academic Review Policy

https://phd.indianatech.edu/annual-academic-review-policy/

The Ph.D. program conducts an Annual Academic Review (AAR) for each student to help them progress successfully through the graduate program by allowing timely diagnosis of deficiencies, clarification of expectations for academic performance, and identification of opportunities for improvement. The department follows established rules to assess student progress toward the Ph.D. degree completion. Permission to register each term is contingent, in part, upon judgment that progress in the degree program is satisfactory.

At the end of each calendar year, the Ph.D. program will conduct an AAR of all students who had entered the program prior to the Fall 1 session of the same year. This review will address progress in the following categories:

• Academic performance
• Residency participation
• Scholarly development
• Global mindset development
• Global leadership development

At the beginning of each calendar year, students will receive a letter from the Ph.D. program notifying them of their current academic standing. The AAR evaluates students by the following academic standards:

Academic Performance

• Credits Completed
• Cumulative GPA (Ph.D. students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher.)
  • Excellent
    • 3.5 to 4.0
  • Acceptable
    • 3.25 to 3.49
  • At-Risk
    • 3.24 or below

Residency Participation

Students must acquire Residency Attendance Units at a reasonable pace with the intended goal of 15 total RAUs prior to enrollment into RES8001. “Reasonable pace” is illustrated by the following:

• 18 credit hours completed = 5 RAUs
• 36 credit hours completed = 10 RAUs
• 54 credit hours completed = 15 RAUs

Students who are not on target with reasonable pace will be evaluated accordingly and encouraged to earn additional units. Students will not be permitted to enroll in RES8001, Qualifying Research Seminar, until they have earned the minimum required 15 RAUs.

Residency Attendance Units Earned

• On Target with Reasonable Pace
  • 100% or above
• Below Target
  • 75-99.9%
• Very Below Target (At-Risk)
  • 74.9% or below

Unsuccessfully Attempted Courses

Students will be provided with a list of attempted courses that were not successfully completed and must be repeated. Courses in the Ph.D. program can only be repeated once.

• Grades of “C+” or lower
  • Students must achieve a grade of “B-” or higher in all classes for the degree. Grades of “C+” or lower must be repeated. 
• Grades of “I” (for incomplete).
• Grades of “W” (for withdrawal).

Supplementary Academic Development Report

The Supplementary Academic Development Report (SADR) is a strongly recommended component of the AAR that addresses the following:

• Scholarly development
• Global mindset development
• Global leadership development

Students will be prompted to update and submit an SADR at the end of each calendar year. This report will be added to the student’s permanent record with the University and utilized by department leadership to assess overall advancement in the program as part of the AAR. The Ph.D. program highly encourages students to make this a part of their permanent academic record.

Academic Probation

Students determined to be “at-risk” in any category will be personally contacted by the Program Director for the development of an academic action plan. The student will be advised of corrective steps and given a probationary period to improve academic performance.

A student who fails to achieve satisfactory progress after such a probationary period will be dismissed from the degree program. Students wishing to appeal their dismissal must do so within 10 days of receiving notification of dismissal..

Ph.D. Procedure for Requesting Transfer Credit

Requests for transfer credit should be directed in writing to the Ph.D. program director no later than during the first term of doctoral study. The requests must include an official transcript showing the course(s) for which transfer credit is requested and a course description from the catalog or syllabus of the course.

Ph.D. Transfer Credit

• Entering student with an earned master’s level credits: Up to 12 hours allowed to transfer. The minimum grade of B (3.0) or equivalency will be considered for transfer credit.
• Entering student in an accredited Doctorate program: Up to 21 hours with an overall 3.25 GPA and “B” minimum for any course transferred. 
• Course credit must be fewer than ten years old to be considered for transfer.
• Students may not transfer courses graded on a nonstandard basis (e.g., pass/no pass, credit/no credit, satisfactory/unsatisfactory) to their graduate certificate or degree programs unless it can be verified by the registrar of the prior university that the grade is equivalent to a B (3.0) or better.
• Previous coursework will be evaluated by the program director based on applicability to Ph.D. degree requirements, including course descriptions, outcomes, and global elements

Prior Learning Assessment   

Credit for prior learning, work training, and other previous college credits may be eligible for transfer credit after preparing a portfolio and having it reviewed by a faculty member. The Registrar’s Office maintains and facilitates the process for credit review and portfolio creation and submission. Prior Learning Credit may be allowed at the PhD level for no more than 9 credit hours if a student transfers in no additional credit. Prior Learning Credit will not be accepted at the master’s level.

Ph.D. Graduation Policies

To successfully complete the Ph.D. in Global Leadership students must:

• Complete a minimum of 66 doctoral credit hours of coursework including 18 credit hours of research core, 18 credit hours of global leadership core, 18 credit hours of specialization, and a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation coursework.
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and a grade of B- or higher in each course.
• Fulfill the residency requirement.
• Complete the degree within seven calendar years from the date of the student’s initial course start date.
• Prepare and successfully defend the qualifying paper.
• Prepare and successfully defend the dissertation proposal and dissertation.
• Meet all financial, academic, and other related obligations of Indiana Tech and the Ph.D. program.

Graduation Deadlines

Petitions for graduation must be received by Oct. 1 for December graduation or Jan. 15 for May graduation. Indiana Tech holds a commencement ceremony in May for all graduates. Diplomas and final transcripts are sent only after financial clearance is received.

Certificate

The post-graduate certificate is 12 credits and can be earned individually or paired with a degree. While enrolled in the last course, students must complete the Requestion for Certificate Completion form. Upon receipt of the form, the student’s record will be audited, and the student will receive the certificate once academic and financial clearance is obtained. Academic clearance is obtained once the student has completed all courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.