The Graduate School assists post-baccalaureate students with the opportunity to further their educational goals through programs of study, teaching, and research in an environment that promotes freedom of expression, intellectual inquiry, and professional integrity. Additionally, the Graduate School assists the development of degree programs that are relevant and responsive to the needs of its students and the students’ communities -- state, nation and world -- and the demands of technology, while maintaining a high standard of excellence in graduate education.

To achieve our goals, the Graduate School staff members believe that in all aspects of our work, we begin with a commitment to promoting graduate education at the University of Arkansas. Our work is based on a firm commitment to excellence, tempered by kindness and compassion. We are an advocate for the graduate student. However, in order to maintain a reputation for quality, which will enhance students’ employment opportunities and increase the value of their degrees, we are also required to set and enforce policies. We seek and celebrate diversity of all kinds, within the Graduate School staff and the graduate student population. We see ourselves as a service unit, with a primary commitment to building graduate education and research consistent with the best practices in the nation. As a service unit, we strive to be accessible to all students, and we hold a student-centered, solution-oriented, cooperative and progressive orientation. We value integrity and respect as the foundation of our work, and we believe deeply in the value of freedom of expression. Our commitment extends from the University to the city of Fayetteville, to the state, nation, and world.

Anyone who wishes to earn graduate-level credit, whether as a degree-seeking or non-degree-seeking student, must make formal application to, and be officially admitted by the Graduate School.

The Graduate School offers two classifications of admission:

1. DEGREE-SEEKING

This enrollment will allow degree credit to be earned if the degree program also accepts the student.

2. NON-DEGREE STANDING
This enrollment will not lead to a degree.

Application. Applications for admission to the Graduate School must be accompanied by a $40 application fee ($50.00 for international applicants), which is not refundable and will not apply against the general registration fee if the applicant enrolls. Applicants are encouraged to use our on-line application procedure. Alternatively, the application form may be obtained from our Web page at http://www.uark.edu/grad, or the application form may be obtained from and submitted directly to:

GRADUATE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS OFFICE

180 DICX

University of Arkansas

747 W. Dickson Street, #8

Fayetteville, AR 72701

Telephone: 479-575-6246

Transcripts. It is the responsibility of those applicants who desire full graduate standing to request each college or university which the student has previously attended to send directly to the Graduate School Admissions Office two official copies of the student’s academic record including all courses, grades, and credits attempted and indication of degree(s) earned.

Note: The fact that courses completed at one institution may be included on a transcript from another institution will not suffice; official transcripts must be received from each institution previously attended.

All transcripts become the property of the University of Arkansas Graduate School and will not be released to the applicant or to any other person, institution, or agency.

Deadlines. The University should receive all application materials, including all official transcripts, at least one month prior to the date of registration. Deadlines for priority consideration are: Fall semester, August 1; Spring semester, December 1; Summer sessions, April 15. Many departments/programs have earlier application deadlines. (See deadlines for international students, below.)

Previously Enrolled or Currently Enrolled at Fayetteville. For those previously enrolled or currently enrolled at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, the Graduate School obtains transcripts from the Registrar’s Office. For a graduate of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (baccalaureate degree), the only transcripts required are those from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and those from each institution attended after completing the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, degree. Anyone who was previously enrolled but who is not currently enrolled in the University of Arkansas Graduate School is considered a “readmission” and is required only to submit an Application for Admission (no fee) and official transcripts from institutions attended after the University of Arkansas Graduate School enrollment. (See Admission Classification: Readmission.)

Admission is for a Specific Semester Only. Applicants who wish to change their date of entry after submitting an application must notify the Graduate School Admissions Office; applicants who have already been admitted should also notify the program in which they plan to major. Application materials for applicants who apply for admission but who do not subsequently enroll will be retained by the Graduate School Admissions Office for two calendar years from the date of the applicant’s original proposed semester of entry. However, applicants must file a new Application for Admission (no fee) to notify the Graduate School of their request for reconsideration. Applicants who are admitted but do not enroll for two years or more after admission must submit an application for admission, application fee, and have two official copies of the student’s academic record sent from each college or university attended and follow procedures for initial admission.

Admission to Graduate Standing. Official notice of the decision concerning admission will be sent from the Graduate School. Admission will not be granted until all requirements are met, and graduate credit will not be granted retroactively except as specified in the Retroactive Graduate Credit Policy (see page 20). Further, admission to graduate standing does not automatically constitute admission to a specific program of study leading to a graduate degree. Therefore, in addition to satisfying the general requirements of the Graduate School, applicants must comply with the specific requirements and have the approval of the program in which they desire to pursue graduate study. It should be emphasized that students may not earn graduate credit in any course unless they have been admitted to the Graduate School.

Adviser. At the time of admission to a degree program of the Graduate School, the student is assigned to a major adviser who acts as the adviser throughout the student’s program of study. The appointment of the adviser is made in the student’s major program and is determined primarily by the student’s particular areas of interest in the field. Detailed information regarding the student’s program of study may be secured from the appropriate department chairperson or program director.

International and Resident Alien Applicants. International applicants and resident aliens must submit a minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or 550 on the paper-based or 213 on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), taken within the preceding two years, unless their native language is English, they have received a graduate degree from an accredited U.S. graduate school, or they have demonstrated an acceptable level of language proficiency as defined in the Graduate School Handbook located on the Graduate School Web site. Individual departments may have higher requirements, and reference should be made to program descriptions. Resident aliens must submit a copy of their Resident Alien card with their application. International applicants must have all material submitted by April 1 for fall semester admission, by October 1 for the spring semester, and by March 1 for the summer session, but it is recommended that all materials required for application be received by the admissions office at least nine months before the applicant wishes to begin his/her studies. International applicants must be acceptable to a program of study as a condition to being granted admission to the Graduate School and must meet the requirements for regular admission status unless holding a degree from the University of Arkansas.

International students and resident aliens whose native language is not English must demonstrate competency in spoken English by submitting a test score of at least 7 on the IELTS (speaking) sub-test, 50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE), or “pass” on the Spoken Language Proficiency Test (SLPT) to be eligible for a graduate assistantship that requires direct contact with students in a teaching or tutorial role.

English Language Use by Non-Native Speakers. Non-native speakers of English admitted to graduate study at the University of Arkansas are required to present an acceptable score on one of the following tests: TOEFL (TWE or Essay), IELTS (writing), GRE (analytical writing), GMAT (analytical writing) or ELPT (writing). Depending upon exam scores, a student may be required to take one or more EASL course during their first term of study. Students may be required to take the English Language Placement Test (ELPT) prior to the beginning of classes in their first term of study. Non-native speakers in the following categories are exempt from this requirement:

1. Graduate students who earned bachelor’s or master’s degrees in U.S. institutions or in foreign institutions where the official and native language is English;

2. Graduate students with a Test of Written English (TWE) score of 5.0 or IELTS (writing) score of 7.0.

3. Graduate students with a 4.5 on the analytical writing portion of the GRE or GMAT.

Diagnostic and placement testing is designed to test students’ ability to use English effectively in an academic setting, and its purpose is to promote the success of non-native speakers in completing their chosen course of study at the University of Arkansas. Test results provide the basis for placement into English as a Second Language (EASL) support courses or course sequences. Courses are offered by the Department of Foreign Languages for those students whose language skills are diagnosed as insufficient for college work at the level to which they have been admitted (undergraduate or graduate study). Credit in EASL courses does not count toward University of Arkansas degrees. Non-native speakers diagnosed as having language competence sufficient for their level of study will not be required to enroll in EASL courses.

The ELPT is administered by Testing Services during New Student Orientation and there is a $10 charge. Graduate students assessed course work as a result of performance on the ELPT, TOEFL Essay, IELTS writing, GRE or GMAT analytical writing  will be required to complete the EASL course(s) to support initial course work taken in their fields. Graduate departments/degree programs will have the discretion to waive either the requirement for the language evaluation or the required language courses.

The publication, “International Student Information,” is available from the Graduate and International Admissions Office, 180 DICX, University of Arkansas, 747 W. Dickson Street, #8, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701.

Classifications of Admission to Graduate Standing

Full Graduate Standing, Regular Admission. To be considered for full graduate standing, regular status, applicants must have earned a baccalaureate or a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, or from a regionally accredited institution in the United States with requirements for the degrees substantially equivalent to those of this University, or from a foreign institution with similar requirements for the degrees. Admission to graduate standing does not automatically constitute acceptance to a program of study leading to a graduate degree. To pursue a graduate degree, a person must also be accepted in a program of study after gaining regular admission to graduate standing. International applicants cannot be admitted to graduate standing unless they are also accepted by a degree program at the same time.

Persons who achieve regular admission but are not initially seeking a graduate degree (non-degree) and who subsequently decide to pursue a degree must apply for and be accepted in a degree program by the Graduate School. A student with regular graduate standing who has not been accepted in a program of study leading to a specific graduate degree may take no more than 12 semester hours of graduate-level courses that can be counted toward the requirements for a graduate degree (six for graduate certificate programs). At the time of acceptance in a degree program, the chair of the appropriate department or program director will recommend to the Graduate School which courses previously taken, if any, are to be accepted in the degree program.

Requirements for admission to graduate standing and acceptance in a program of study leading to a graduate degree are:

1. For admission to graduate standing:

a. A grade-point average of 2.70 or better (A=4.00) on all course work taken prior to receipt of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education; or

b. A grade-point average of 3.20 or better on the last 60 hours of course work taken prior to receipt of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education; or

c. A grade-point average between 2.50 and 2.69 on all course work taken prior to receipt of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examinations general test, the Miller Analogies Test, or a similar test acceptable to the Graduate Dean; or

d. Conferral of a post-baccalaureate graduate degree (excluding professional degrees) from a regionally accredited institution.

 2. For acceptance to a graduate degree program the requirements are as follows:

a. Fulfillment of either 1.a or 1.b, and recommendation of the chair of the department or program offering instruction for the degree program; or

b. Fulfillment of 1.c, recommendation of the chair of the department or program offering instruction for the degree program and approval of the Graduate Dean. The student must also meet any other conditions that may be specified by the faculty of the department.

Note: Beginning with admissions for the Fall 2006 semester, the requirement for admission to the Graduate School will be a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 (on a four-point scale) for the last 60 hours taken for the baccalaureate degree. Credentials offered by international students will be adjusted in accordance with this requirement.

Any other consideration for admission must be by individual petition to the Graduate Dean and, where pertinent, a recommendation from the appropriate program chair. Each petition will be considered on its own merits, case by case. Program requirements should be considered the minimum for admission to a degree program but do not guarantee admission. That is, fully qualified applicants who are accepted by the Graduate School will not necessarily be accepted into the degree program of their choice. It is the responsibility of the program faculty to allocate program resources in the most effective manner. To accomplish this, the program may not be able to accept every qualified applicant.

Non-Degree Seeking. If a student meets all of the requirements for regular admission to the Graduate School but chooses not to pursue a degree, he/she may be admitted as non-degree seeking. If the student subsequently chooses to pursue a degree, only 12 of the hours taken as a non-degree-seeking student may be used to fulfill degree requirements, and those 12 hours must be approved by the advisory committee.

Non-Consecutive One Term Admission, NON-DEGREE Standing. Applicants who desire admission standing allowing them to enroll in non-consecutive single semesters must obtain from the Graduate School Admissions Office and must sign a statement of understanding. Students admitted to such non-consecutive one-term admissions must understand that any enrollment taken in this classification will not normally carry degree credit. Transcripts are not required for applicants seeking this non-degree standing.

Letter of Good Standing. A graduate student who is in good standing at another regionally accredited institution in the United States may be given admission (non-degree status) to the Graduate School for one semester upon submission of an Application for Admission and a letter of good standing from the Dean of the Graduate School at that institution. If, sometime in the future, the student should wish to pursue a degree in the University of Arkansas Graduate School, it will be necessary to follow the normal procedures for admission and to have official transcripts sent from each institution previously attended. Graduate courses transferred and used for requirements for a degree at another university cannot be used for a graduate degree at this institution.

Readmission. Readmission to the Graduate School is not automatic. Students who have been enrolled in the Graduate School within the two preceding academic years but have not enrolled in the immediately preceding semester will be readmitted if:

1. The student has earned at least a 2.85 cumulative grade-point average on all graduate credits attempted during all previous enrollments;

2. A new Application for Admission form (no fee) is filed prior to the desired registration date (preferably, at least one month prior to that date);

3. The Graduate School has received two official transcripts of all course work attempted at other institutions subsequent to the previous enrollment in the University of Arkansas Graduate School;

4. The student’s graduate status at the end of the previous enrollment was “good standing.”

Students who have been previously enrolled in the Graduate School but who have not been enrolled within the preceding two years and who meet the above conditions may be granted further registration after completion of a readmission process. Students seeking readmission for the purpose of entering or resuming a graduate degree program must be accepted by the faculty of that program of study. Such acceptance must state specifically what credit will be granted for the earlier work, any conditions which must be fulfilled to qualify this earlier work in the degree program, and an exact timetable for the completion of all degree requirements. When such recommendations exceed the normal time limits or other conditions established by the Graduate School, the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School will be required. Such recommendations must be submitted and approved prior to the granting of readmission.

Readmission to the Graduate School under any other circumstances will be considered and decided on an individual basis. Students interested in obtaining such readmission should contact the Graduate School.

Students who were not enrolled in the Spring semester, but who were enrolled for the summer session will have registration materials available for the Fall semester should they wish to continue their registration.

Retroactive Graduate Credit

Graduate students fully admitted into a degree program may request that up to twelve hours of courses taken in the final semester of their undergraduate degree count toward their graduate degree, if these courses were taken on the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville campus. These courses may not have been used for the undergraduate degree, must be approved by the student’s advisory committee, and must be at the 5000 level or above. Petition will be by the student’s advisory committee or major professor to the Graduate School.

If the student’s advisory committee wishes to accept courses at the 4000 level towards the graduate degree, when those courses were taken in the last semester of a student’s undergraduate degree at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, the committee may petition the Graduate School. The petition must include an explanation of why the committee considers these courses to meet graduate degree requirements and expectations for graduate-level work. The instructors for these courses must have had graduate faculty status, and these courses may not have been used for the undergraduate degree.

Courses at the 3000 level taken before the student is fully admitted to the Graduate School may not be used to fulfill graduate degree requirements.

Courses offered by institutions other than the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, may not be counted toward the graduate degree requirements in this way.

If a program wishes to place a senior-level undergraduate student on a graduate assistantship, the Graduate Dean will consider these appointments on a case-by-case basis. The program must stipulate that the student will be entering one of its graduate programs as soon as the undergraduate degree is completed, and the student must be within six hours of completing the undergraduate degree. An undergraduate student may not hold a graduate assistantship, even under these conditions, for more than one semester.

In an attempt to fulfill the recognized need for graduate education for Arkansas residents who find it impossible or inconvenient to attend classes at Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas Graduate School offers selected graduate-level courses at graduate centers throughout the state.

All courses and instructors at these centers have been individually evaluated by the University of Arkansas Graduate Council and are subject to the same standards of quality that apply to graduate faculty and graduate programs at Fayetteville.

Similarly, those desiring to enroll in these courses must follow the same admission procedures and are subject to the same admission criteria as persons admitted at Fayetteville. There are no exceptions or deviations from these policies and procedures. Admission materials, including all official transcripts, should be received in the Graduate School at least one month prior to the requested semester of entry. (See section on “Admission.”)

For more comprehensive information regarding format of instruction, schedule of classes, enrollment and registration, fees, etc., contact: Director of Continuing Education, Number 2, University Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701.

Those intending to enroll for classes at the Graduate Resident Center for Engineering (University of Arkansas at Little Rock, host campus) must submit application for admission to the Graduate School at least one month prior to initial registration through:

Graduate Resident Center for Engineering

3189 Bell Engineering Center

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR 72701

Telephone: 1-800-423-1176 or 479-575-6015

To assure timely processing of the Application for Admission, a check or money order made to the University of Arkansas for the $40 application fee must accompany the application when submitted to the Graduate School.

Contact the above address for information pertaining to classes, enrollment, fees, etc.

The University of Arkansas offers graduate-level courses for residence credit at Graduate Centers located off the Fayetteville campus. There are two types of graduate centers currently in existence: Twelve-Hour Graduate Centers and Graduate Resident Centers.

Graduate courses completed at Graduate Resident Centers may be used to satisfy course work requirements for any graduate degree. Any graduate credit course offered by the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, via distance education (regardless of class sites) will be counted as residence credit.

Twelve-Hour Graduate Centers. The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, offers graduate courses at off-campus locations. At those locations, not defined as Graduate Resident Centers for specified degrees, a student may complete a maximum of twelve semester hours of courses for residence credit applicable to the master’s degree requirements at the University of Arkansas.

To obtain graduate credit for courses offered at off-campus locations, the student must gain admission to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Graduate School. If graduate credit so received is to be applied to a specific master’s degree, the student must be accepted in a program of study leading to that degree. Graduate courses completed, but not applicable to the requirements for the master’s degree the student is pursuing, will not be accepted as part of the 30-week residence required for that degree.

Graduate Resident Centers. The University of Arkansas offers graduate level courses for residence credit off the Fayetteville campus. All of the residence requirements for some graduate degrees may be completed off campus at Graduate Resident Centers as indicated in the following list.

FORT SMITH GRADUATE RESIDENT CENTER

All course requirements for the Master of Business Administration degree may be completed at the Graduate Resident Center in Fort Smith.

GRADUATE RESIDENT CENTER FOR ENGINEERING IN CENTRAL ARKANSAS

All requirements for the Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) degree may be completed at the Graduate Resident Center for Engineering, University of Arkansas at Little Rock as host campus.

GRADUATE RESIDENT CENTERS AT MILITARY BASES AND THE BLYTHEVILLE AND CAMDEN GRADUATE RESIDENT CENTERS

The Master of Science degree (M.S.), with a major in operations management, is offered at Graduate Resident Centers established at the Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee; the Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville; the Hurlburt Field Air Force Base in Florida; and in Blytheville and Camden. For further information on this degree program and a description of courses offered, see page 134.

LITTLE ROCK GRADUATE RESIDENT CENTER

All of the course requirements for the Master of Science degree in rehabilitation may be completed at the Graduate Resident Center in Little Rock.

MID-SOUTH CENTER OF LEADERSHIP TRAINING

All course requirements for the Master of Science in human environmental sciences may be completed at the Mid-South Center of Leadership Training in Little Rock.

PHILLIPS COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

All course requirements for the Master of Science in human environmental sciences and the Educational Specialist degree with a specialization in educational administration may be completed at the Graduate Resident Center at the Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, Helena.

PINE BLUFF GRADUATE RESIDENT CENTER

All requirements for the Educational Specialist degree with a specialization in educational administration may be completed at the Graduate Resident Center in Pine Bluff.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK

All course requirements for the Master of Science in human environmental sciences may be completed at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS CLINTON SCHOOL

All course requirements for the Master of Public Service may be completed at a combination of the University of Arkansas Clinton School, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT BATESVILLE

All course requirements for the Master of Science in human environmental sciences may be completed at the Graduate Resident Center at the Phillips Community Center of the University of Arkansas.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT HOPE

All course requirements for the Master of Science in human environmental sciences and the Educational Specialist degree with a specialization in educational administration may be completed at the Graduate Resident Center at the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS EXTENSION BUILDING

All course requirements for the Master of Science in human environmental sciences may be completed at the Graduate Resident Center at the University of Arkansas Extension Building in Little Rock.

The mission of the Graduate School is to provide post-baccalaureate students with the opportunity to further their educational goals through programs of study, teaching, and research in an environment that promotes freedom of expression, intellectual inquiry, and professional integrity. This mission is only possible when intellectual honesty and individual integrity are taken for granted.  

The graduate student at the University of Arkansas is expected to: a) know and abide by the regulations for all students, as described in the Student Handbook published by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, and b) know and abide by the regulations contained within the “Academic Honesty Policy for Graduate Students” and the “Research Misconduct Policy.”  It is expected that graduate students will refrain from all acts of academic and research dishonesty and will furthermore report to the Graduate School any acts witnessed.

The pledge of the Honor Code is this: “On my honor as a graduate student at the University of Arkansas, I certify that I will neither give nor receive inappropriate assistance on the work I do for my degree.” Students will be asked to sign this pledge when they are admitted to the Graduate School. Faculty also may require students to sign this pledge before completing the requirements of a course or a program of study.

Students must register during one of the formal registration periods. Graduate students, new, returning, or currently enrolled, may register during the priority registration held each semester for the following semester. Students who have not already registered should register during the open registration session. For information on registration, consult the Schedule of Classes or visit the World Wide Web at http://www.uark.edu/admin/regrinfo/.

Enrollment Limits

Under ordinary circumstances, graduate registration is limited to 18 hours for any one semester in the fall or spring, including undergraduate courses and courses audited. Registration above 15 hours must be approved by the Graduate Dean. For registration in the summer, the enrollment limit is 12 hours without approval by the Graduate Dean.

Registration for Audit

When a student audits a course, that student must register for audit, pay the appropriate fees, and be admitted to class on a space-available basis. Students not formally admitted to a degree program will not have priority for auditing a class. The instructor shall notify the student of the requirements for receiving the mark of “AU” for the course being audited. The instructor and the student’s dean may drop a student from a course being audited if the student is not satisfying the requirements specified by the instructor. The student is to be notified if this action is taken. The only grade or mark that can be given is “AU.” The Graduate School does not normally pay tuition for audited classes for students on assistantship.

Registration Out of Career

Students who wish to enroll in classes for credit outside of their career (e.g. graduate students who wish to enroll in undergraduate classes for undergraduate credit) should print the appropriate form from the Graduate School Web site (http://www.uark.edu/grad ), obtain the required signatures, and return the form to the office indicated on the form. Students are not able to register themselves out of career.

Proper Address of Students

All students are responsible for maintaining their addresses with the University and to report any change of address promptly to the Office of the Registrar or to the Graduate School. Failure to do so may result in undelivered grades, registration notices, invoices, invitations, or other official correspondence and announcements.

Identification Cards

Identification cards are made by the Division of Student Services during each registration period and at scheduled times and places during the year. The I.D. card can be used as a debit card for purchases at the Bookstore or the Union Servery.

Adding and Dropping Courses

A currently enrolled student who has registered during the advance registration period should make any necessary or desired schedule adjustments such as adding or dropping courses or changing course sections during the schedule-adjustment period scheduled for the same semester. Students may also add or drop courses during the first five class days of a semester. Students who drop classes by the end of the first week of classes in the fall and spring will have their fees adjusted. (Refer to the Treasurer’s Office Web site for summer dates.) Fee adjustments are not done for classes dropped after the first week of classes. Drops and Withdrawals are two different functions. In a drop process the student remains enrolled. The result of the withdrawal process is that the student is no longer enrolled for the term. The two functions have different fee adjustment policies. Fee adjustment deadlines for official withdrawal are noted below.

A student may drop a course during the first 10 class days of the fall or spring semester without having the drop shown on the official academic record. After the first 10 class days, and before the drop deadline of the semester, a student may drop a course, but a mark of “W,” indicating the drop, will be recorded. A student may not drop a full-semester course after the Friday of the tenth week of classes in a semester.

Drop-add deadlines for partial semester courses and summer classes are in the schedule of classes.

Withdrawal from Registration

Withdrawing from the University means withdrawing from all classes that have not been completed up to that time. A student who leaves the University voluntarily before the end of the semester or summer term must file and have accepted by his or her academic dean and the Registrar a Petition for Withdrawal from Registration. Withdrawal must occur prior to the last class day of a semester. Students who do not withdraw officially from a class that they fail to complete will receive an “F” in that class.

Attendance

Students are expected to be diligent in the pursuit of their studies and in their class attendance. Students have the responsibility of making arrangements satisfactory to the instructor regarding all absences. Such arrangements should be made prior to the absence if possible. Policies of making up work missed as a result of absence are at the discretion of the instructor, and students should inform themselves at the beginning of each semester concerning the policies of their instructors.

Full-Time Status

Enrollment in nine semester hours (not including audited courses) is considered full-time for graduate students not on assistantship. For graduate assistants or students with research fellowships on 50 percent appointment or more, six semester hours (not including audited courses) of enrollment is considered full-time in the fall and spring semesters. Graduate assistants who are on a 50% appointment for a six-week summer term must earn at least three hours of graduate credit during the summer. However, these credits do not have to be earned in the same session as the appointment, and may be taken at any time during the summer. Tuition and fees for graduate assistants on 50% appointments for a six-week summer term will be paid up to a maximum of 4 hours. Students not on graduate assistantships or fellowships must be enrolled in six hours (not including audited courses) to be full time in the summer.

Continuous Enrollment

After a doctoral student has passed the candidacy examinations, the student must register for at least one hour of dissertation each semester and one hour during the summer session until the work is completed, whether the student is in residence or away from the campus. For each semester in which a student fails to register without prior approval of the Dean of the Graduate School, a registration of three hours will be required before the degree is granted. Please see the Graduate School Registration and Leave of Absence Policy.

Use of Electronic Resources of the Library

The use of electronic resources of the University Libraries from a location outside of the library is only available to enrolled students.   Students who are enrolled in the spring semester and have pre-registered for the succeeding fall semester may have access to these resources during the intervening summer.  Students who are not required to be enrolled for other reasons, who are not pre-registered for the fall, and who wish to use the library resources during the summer must be enrolled in at least one hour of credit in any one of the summer sessions.

Final grades for courses are “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” and “F”  (except for courses taken in the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences). No credit is earned for courses in which a grade of “F” or, beginning with students admitted to the Graduate School in Fall 2001 or after, “D” is recorded.

A final grade of “F” shall be assigned to a student who is failing on the basis of work completed but who has not completed all requirements. The instructor may change an “F” so assigned to a passing grade if warranted by satisfactory completion of all requirements.

A mark of “I” may be assigned to a student who has not completed all course requirements, if the work completed is of passing quality. An “I” so assigned may be changed to a grade provided all course requirements have been completed within 12 weeks from the beginning of the next semester of the student’s enrollment after receiving the “I.” If the instructor does not report a grade within the 12-week period, the “I” shall be changed to an “F.” When the mark of “I” is changed to a final grade, this shall become the grade for the semester in which the course was originally taken.

A mark of “AU” (Audit) is given to a student who officially registers in a course for audit purposes (see Registration for Audit).

A mark of “CR” (credit) is given for a course in which the University allows credit toward a degree, but for which no grade points are earned. The mark “CR” is not normally awarded for graduate-level courses but may be granted for independent academic activities. With departmental (or program area) approval and in special circumstances, up to a maximum of six semester hours of “CR” may be accepted toward the requirements for a graduate degree.

A mixing of course letter grades and the mark “CR” is permitted only in graduate-level courses in which instruction is of an
independent nature.

A mark of “R” (Registered) indicates that the student registered for master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. The mark “R” gives neither credit nor grade points toward a graduate degree.

A mark of “S” (Satisfactory) is assigned in courses such as special problems and research when a final grade is inappropriate. The mark “S” is not assigned to courses or work for which credit is given (and thus no grade points are earned for such work). If credit is awarded upon the completion of such work, a grade or mark may be assigned at that time and, if a grade is assigned, grade points will be earned.

A mark of “W” (Withdrawal) will be given for courses from which students withdraw after the first 10 class days of the semester and before the drop deadline of the semester.

For numerical evaluation of grades, “A” is assigned 4 points for each semester hour of that grade; “B,” 3 points; “C,” 2 points; “D,” 1 point; and “F,” 0 points. Grades of plus and minus are assigned grade-point values in the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences.

The Graduate School of the University of Arkansas recognizes that there may be occasions when a graduate student has a grievance about some aspect of his/her academic involvement. It is an objective of this University that such a graduate student may have prompt and formal resolution of his or her personal academic grievances and that this be accomplished according to orderly procedures. Below are the procedures to be utilized when a graduate student has an academic grievance with a faculty member or administrator. If the student has a grievance against another student or another employee of the University, or if the student has a grievance which is not academic in nature, the appropriate policy may be found by contacting the Office of Affirmative Action or the office of the Graduate Dean. For policies and procedures pertaining to conduct offenses, consult the Code of Student Life.

Note: Master’s students in the Graduate School of Business should follow the grievance procedures for that School.

Definition of Terms

Academic grievance. An academic grievance means a dispute concerning some aspect of academic involvement arising from an administrative or faculty decision which the graduate student claims is unjust or is in violation of his or her rights. The Graduate School considers any behavior on the part of a faculty member or an administrator, which the student believes to interfere with his/her academic progress, to be subject to a grievance. While an enumeration of the students’ rights with regard to their academic involvement is not possible or desirable, we have provided a short list as illustration. However, as in all cases involving individual rights, whether a specific behavior constitutes a violation of these rights can only be decided in context, following a review by a panel of those given the authority to make such a decision.

In general, we consider that the graduate student:

1) has the right to competent instruction;

2) is entitled to have access to the instructor at hours other than class times (office hours);

3) is entitled to know the grading system by which he/she will be judged;

4) has the right to evaluate each course and instructor;

5) has the right to be treated with respect and dignity.

In addition, an academic grievance may include alleged violations of the affirmative action plans of the University as related to academic policies and regulations, as well as disputes over grades, course requirements, graduation/degree program requirements, thesis/dissertation/advisory committee composition, and/or adviser decisions.

Formal academic grievance. An academic grievance is considered formal when the student notifies the Graduate Dean, in writing, that he/she is proceeding with such a grievance. The implications of this declaration are: 1) all correspondence pertaining to any aspect of the grievance will be in writing and will be made available to the Graduate Dean; 2) all documents relevant to the case, including minutes from all relevant meetings, will be part of the complete written record and will be forwarded to the Graduate Dean upon receipt by any party to the grievance; 3) the policy contained herein will be strictly followed; and 4) any member of the academic community who does not follow the grievance policy will be subject to disciplinary actions. Filing a formal academic grievance is a serious matter, and the student is strongly encouraged to seek informal resolution of his/her concerns before taking such a step.

Complete Written Record. The “complete written record” refers to all documents submitted as evidence by any party to the complaint, as subject to applicable privacy considerations.

Note: Because the tape recordings of committee meetings may contain sensitive information, including private information pertaining to other students, the tape or a verbatim transcription of the tape will not be part of the complete written record. However, general minutes of the meetings, documenting the action taken by the committees, will be part of the complete written record.

Graduate student. Under this procedure, a graduate student is any person who has been formally admitted into the Graduate School of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and who is/was enrolled as a graduate-level student at the time the alleged grievance occurred.

Working Days. Working days shall refer to Monday through Friday, excluding official University holidays.

Procedures

Note: Master’s students in the Graduate School of Business should follow the grievance procedures for that School.

1. Individuals should attempt to resolve claimed grievances first with the person(s) involved, within the department, and wherever possible, without resort to formal grievance procedures. The graduate student should first discuss the matter with the faculty member involved, with the faculty member’s chairperson or area coordinator, or with the Graduate Dean. The student’s questions may be answered satisfactorily during this discussion. The student may also choose to contact the Office of Student Mediation and Conflict Resolution or, if the grievance is with the departmental chairperson or area coordinator, with the  academic dean or the Graduate Dean, for a possible informal resolution of the matter.

2. If a graduate student chooses to pursue a formal grievance procedure, the student shall take the appeal in written form to the appropriate departmental chairperson/area coordinator, and forward a copy to the Graduate Dean. In the case of a grievance against a departmental chairperson or an area coordinator who does not report directly to a departmental chairperson, or in the absence of the chairperson/coordinator, the student will go directly to the dean of the college or school in which the alleged violation has occurred, or to the Graduate Dean. In any case, the Graduate Dean must be notified of the grievance. After discussion between the chairperson/coordinator/dean and all parties to the grievance, option 2a, 2b, or 3 may be chosen.

a. All parties involved may agree that the grievance can be resolved by a recommendation of the chairperson/coordinator/dean. In this case, the chairperson/coordinator/dean will forward a written recommendation to all parties involved in the grievance within 20 working days after receipt of the written grievance. The chairperson/area coordinator/dean is at liberty to use any appropriate method of investigation, including personal interviews and/or referral to an appropriate departmental committee for recommendation.

b. Alternatively, any party to the grievance may request that the departmental chairperson/area coordinator/dean at once refer the request, together with all statements, documents, and information gathered in his or her investigation, to the applicable departmental group (standing committee or all graduate faculty of the department). The reviewing body shall, within ten working days from the time its chairperson received the request for consideration, present to the department chairperson/coordinator/dean its written recommendations concerning resolution of the grievance. Within ten working days after receiving these recommendations, the department chairperson/area coordinator/dean shall provide all parties to the dispute with copies of the reviewing body’s recommendation and his or her consequent written decision on the matter.

3. If the grievance is not resolved by the procedure outlined in step 2, or if any party to the grievance chooses not to proceed as suggested in 2, he/she will appeal in writing to the Dean of the Graduate School. When, and only when, the grievance concerns the composition of the student’s thesis/dissertation committee or advisory committee, the Graduate Dean will proceed as described in step 5 (following). In all other cases, whenever a grievance comes to the attention of the Dean of the Graduate School, either as a result of a direct appeal or when a grievance has not been resolved satisfactorily at the departmental/academic dean level, the Dean of the Graduate School will consult with the person alleging the grievance. If that person decides to continue the formal grievance procedure, the Graduate Dean will notify all parties named in the grievance, the departmental chairperson/area coordinator, and the academic dean that a formal grievance has been filed. Within ten working days, the Dean of the Graduate School will: 1) with the consent of the student, appoint a faculty member as the student’s advocate, and 2) appoint an ad hoc committee of five faculty members and two graduate students, chosen to avoid obvious bias or partiality, to review the grievance and report to him/her. The Associate Dean of the Graduate School will serve as the chair of the grievance committee and will vote only in the case of a tie. A voting member of the Graduate Council will serve as the non-voting secretary of the committee.

The committee shall have access to witnesses and records, may take testimony, and may make a record by taping the hearing. Its charge is to develop all pertinent factual information (with the exception that the student and faculty member/administrator will not be required to be present in any meeting together without first agreeing to do so) and, on the basis of this information, to make a recommendation to the Graduate Dean to either support or reject the appeal. The Graduate Dean will then make a decision based on the committee’s recommendation and all documents submitted by the parties involved. The Graduate Dean’s decision, the committee’s written recommendation and a copy of its complete written record (excluding those in which other students have a privacy interest) shall be forwarded to the person(s) making the appeal within 20 working days from the date the committee was first convened; copies shall be sent simultaneously to other parties involved in the grievance and to the dean of the college in which the alleged violation occurred. A copy shall be retained by the Graduate School in such a way that the student’s privacy is protected.

4. When, and only when, the grievance concerns a course grade and the committee’s recommendation is that the grade assigned by the instructor should be changed, the following procedure applies. The committee’s recommendation that the grade should be changed shall be accompanied by a written explanation of the reasons for that recommendation and by a request that the instructor change the grade. If the instructor declines, he or she shall provide a written explanation for refusing. The committee, after considering the instructor’s explanation and upon concluding that it would be unjust to allow the original grade to stand, may then recommend to the department chair that the grade be changed. The department chair will provide the instructor with a copy of the recommendation and ask the instructor to change the grade. If the instructor continues to decline, the department chair may change the grade, notifying the instructor, the Graduate Dean, and the student of the action. Only the department chair, and only on recommendation of the committee, may change a grade over the objection of the instructor who assigned the original grade. No appeal or further review is allowed from this action. All grievances concerning course grades must be filed within one calendar year of receiving that grade.

5. When, and only when, a student brings a grievance concerning the composition of his/her thesis/dissertation or advisory committee, the following procedure will apply. The Dean of the Graduate School shall meet with the graduate student and the faculty member named in the grievance and shall consult the chair of the committee, the departmental chairperson/area coordinator, and the academic dean, for their recommendations. In unusual circumstances, the Dean of the Graduate School may remove a faculty member from a student’s thesis/dissertation committee or advisory committee, or make an alternative arrangement (e.g. assign a representative from the Graduate faculty to serve on the committee). With regard to the chair of the dissertation/thesis committee (not the advisory committee), the Graduate School considers this to be a mutual agreement between the faculty member and the student to work cooperatively on a research project of shared interest. Either the graduate student or the faculty member may dissolve this relationship by notifying the other party, the departmental chairperson, and the Graduate Dean. However, the student and the adviser should be warned that this may require that all data gathered for the dissertation be abandoned and a new research project undertaken, with a new faculty adviser.

6. If a grievance, other than those covered by step 4, is not satisfactorily resolved through step 3 or 5, an appeal in writing and with all relevant material may be submitted for consideration and a joint decision by the Chancellor of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. This appeal must be filed within 20 working days of receiving the decision of the Graduate Dean. Any appeal at this level shall be on the basis of the complete written record only, and will not involve interviews with any party to the grievance. The Chancellor of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs shall make a decision on the matter within 20 working days from the date of receipt of the appeal. Their decision shall be forwarded in writing to the same persons receiving such decision in step 3. Their decision is final pursuant to the delegated authority of the Board of Trustees.

7. If any party to the grievance violates this policy, he/she will be subject to disciplinary action. When alleging such a violation, the aggrieved individual shall contact the Graduate Dean, in writing, with an explanation of the violation.

Note: Graduate Assistants in the Graduate School of Business should follow the grievance procedures for that School.

Introduction

It is the philosophy of the Graduate School that assistantships are not typical employee positions of the University. This has two implications. First, the sponsor should also serve as a mentor to the student and assist, to the extent possible, in facilitating the student’s progress toward his/her degree. Second, any questions concerning performance in or requirements of assistantships shall be directed to the Graduate School or, for master’s students in business, to the Graduate School of Business. Note: the term graduate assistant will be used to refer to those on other types of appointments as well, such as fellowships, clerkships, etc.

The Graduate School has the following authority with regard to graduate assistantships:

1. All requests for new positions, regardless of the source of the funds, must be approved by the Graduate School. When the position is approved, the requesting department or faculty member must complete the form “Request for a New Graduate Assistant Position” and submit it to the Graduate School. All proposed changes in duties for existing graduate assistantships must be approved by the Graduate School prior to their implementation.

2. The duty requirements of the graduate assistantship, including the number of hours required, must be approved by the Graduate School. Fifty percent GAs may not be asked to work more than 20 hours per week (Note: this is not limited to time actually spent in the classroom or lab; the 20 hour requirement also pertains to time required to grade/compute results, develop class/lab materials, etc. Moreover, students cannot be asked to work an average of 20 hours per week, with 30 hours one week and 10 hours the next, for example. The duty hour requirement is no more than 20 hours per week for a 50 percent appointment. See the Graduate Handbook. However, it should also be noted that if the student is engaged in research which will be used in his/her required project, thesis or dissertation, or if the student is traveling to professional meetings, data sources, etc., the student may work more than 20 hours per week.) The duty requirements must complement the degree program of the graduate student and must abide by the philosophy that the first priority of graduate students is to finish their degrees.

3. The Graduate School, in consultation with the Graduate Council, has the right to set the enrollment requirements for full-time status for graduate assistants (as well as graduate students in general).

4. The Graduate School sets the minimum stipend for graduate assistantships, but does not have responsibility for setting the actual stipend.

Graduate assistants will be provided with a written statement of the expected duties for their positions, consistent with the duties outlined in the “Request for New Graduate Assistant Position” or any amendments submitted to the Graduate School. A copy of the written statement will be submitted to the Graduate School for inclusion in the student’s file.

Graduate assistants may be terminated from their positions at any time, or dismissed for cause (Board Policy No. 405.4). Termination is effected through the giving of a notice, in writing, of that action at least 60 days in advance of the date the employment is to cease. A copy of the notice must be sent to the Graduate Dean.

A graduate assistant has the right to request a review of the termination by the Graduate Dean, following the procedure given below. However, a student should be warned that if the grounds for dismissal are based on any of the following, the only defense to the termination is evidence to show that the charges are not true:

1. The student fails to meet the expectations of the assistantship positions, as outlined in the initial written statement provided to him/her at the beginning of the appointment.

2. The student provides fraudulent documentation for admission to his/her degree program and/or to his/her sponsor in applying for the assistantship position.

3. The student fails to meet certain expectations, which need not be explicitly stated by the sponsor, such as the expectation that: a) the student has the requisite English language skills to adequately perform the duties of the position; b) the student has the appropriate experience and skills to perform the duties of the position; and c) the student maintains the appropriate ethical standards for the position. The Research Misconduct Policy provides one reference source for such ethical standards.

4. The student fails to make good progress toward the degree, as determined by the annual graduate student academic review and defined by program and Graduate School policies.

5. The assistantship position expires.

Definition of Terms

Graduate Assistant. Any graduate student holding a position which requires that the student be admitted to a graduate degree program of the University of Arkansas, regardless of the source of funds, and for whom tuition is paid as a result of that position.

Sponsor. The person responsible for the funding and duty expectations for the graduate assistant.

Formal graduate assistant grievance. Any dispute concerning some aspect of the graduate assistantship, as defined above, which arises from an administrative or faculty decision that the graduate student claims is a violation of his or her rights. The formal graduate assistant grievance does not pertain to cases in which there is a dispute between co-workers.

Violation of graduate assistant’s rights. An action is considered a violation of the graduate assistants’ rights if: a) it violates Graduate School policy with regard to graduate assistantships; b) it threatens the integrity of, or otherwise demeans the graduate student, regardless of any other consideration; c) it illegally discriminates or asks the graduate assistant to discriminate; d) it requires the student to do something which was not communicated as a condition of holding the assistantship (or the underlying expectations outlined above); e) it terminates the student from an assistantship for behaviors which are irrelevant to the holding of the assistantship or were never included as expectations for the assistantship; f) it requires the student to do something which violates University policy, the law, or professional ethics. Note: It is impossible to state all of the conditions which might constitute a violation of graduate assistants’ rights or, conversely, which might defend a respondent against charges of such violations. Such complaints require a process of information gathering and discussion that leads to a final resolution of the matter by those who have been given the authority to do so.

Formal grievance. A grievance concerning graduate assistantships/fellowships is considered formal when the student notifies the Graduate Dean, in writing, that he/she is proceeding with such a grievance. The implications of this declaration are: a) the student will be provided with an advocate; b) all correspondence pertaining to any aspect of the grievance will be in writing and will be made available to the Graduate Dean; c) all documents relevant to the case, including minutes from all relevant meetings, will be part of the complete written record, and will be forwarded to the Graduate Dean upon receipt by any party to the grievance; d) the policy contained herein will be strictly followed; and e) any member of the academic community who does not follow the grievance policy will be subject to disciplinary actions. Filing a formal grievance is a serious matter, and the student is strongly encouraged to seek informal resolution of his/her concerns before taking such a step.

Respondent. The person who is the object of the grievance.

Procedures

Note: Grievances are confidential. Information about the grievance, including the fact that such a grievance has been filed, may never be made public to those who are not immediately involved in the resolution of the case, unless the student has authorized this release of information or has instigated a course of action which requires the respondent to respond. An exception to this confidentiality requirement is that the immediate supervisor or departmental chairperson of the respondent will be notified and will receive a copy of the resolution of the case. Since grievances against a respondent also have the potential to harm that person’s reputation, students may not disclose information about the grievance, including the fact that they have filed a grievance, to any person not immediately involved in the resolution of the case, until the matter has been finally resolved. This is not intended to preclude the student or respondent from seeking legal advice.

1. (Graduate assistants who are master’s students in the Graduate School of Business should contact the Director of that School.) When a graduate student believes that his/her rights have been violated, as the result of action(s) pertaining to a graduate assistantship he/she holds or has held within the past year, the student shall first discuss his/her concerns with the respondent. If the concerns are not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student may discuss it with the Graduate Dean and/or with the Office of Affirmative Action. If the concerns are satisfactorily resolved by any of the above discussions, the terms of the resolution shall be reduced to writing, if any of the involved parties desires to have such a written statement.

2. If the student’s concerns are not resolved by the above discussions and he/she chooses to pursue the matter further, the student shall notify the Graduate Dean in writing of the nature of the complaint. This notification will include all relevant documentation and must occur within one year from the date of the occurrence.

3. Upon receipt of this notification and supporting documentation, the Graduate Dean will meet with the graduate student. If the student agrees, the Dean will notify the respondent of the student’s concerns. If the student does not wish for the respondent to be notified, the matter will be dropped. The respondent will be given ten working days from receipt of the Graduate Dean’s notification to respond to the concerns.

4. The Graduate Dean will meet again with the student and make an effort to resolve the concerns in a mutually satisfactory manner. If this is not possible, the Graduate Dean will refer the case to a committee.

5. Within ten working days from the final meeting between the student and the Graduate Dean, the Graduate Dean will notify the respondent and will appoint an ad hoc committee of five faculty members and two graduate students chosen to avoid bias or partiality. The Associate Dean of the Graduate School will serve as the chair of the grievance committee and will vote only in the case of a tie. A voting member of the Graduate Council will serve as the non-voting secretary of the committee. At this time, the Graduate Dean will also assign an advocate to the student. The advocate must be a member of the graduate faculty. The immediate supervisor of the sponsor will serve as his/her advocate. Note: The student and sponsor advocates will have the responsibility to help the student/sponsor prepare his/her written materials and will attend committee meetings with the student/sponsor. The advocate will not speak on behalf of the student/sponsor and will not take part in committee discussions of the merits of the case.

6. The committee shall have access to witnesses and records, may take testimony, and may make a record by taping the hearing. Its charge is to develop all pertinent factual information (with the exception that the student and respondent will not be required to be present in any meeting together without first agreeing to do so) and, on the basis of this information, to make a recommendation to the Graduate Dean to either support or reject the grievance. The Graduate Dean will then make a decision based on the committee’s recommendation and all documents submitted by the parties involved. The Graduate Dean’s decision, the committee’s written recommendation and a copy of all documents submitted as evidence by any party to the complaint, consistent with all privacy considerations, shall be forwarded to the person(s) alleging the grievance within 20 working days from the date the committee was first convened; copies shall be sent simultaneously to other parties involved in the grievance. A copy shall be retained by the Graduate School in such a way that the student’s and respondent’s privacy is protected. It should be noted that the Graduate Dean has limited authority to require a sponsor to reappoint a graduate assistant. Consequently, the redress open to the student may be limited.

7. If the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved through step 6, an appeal in writing with all relevant material may be submitted by either the student or the sponsor for consideration by the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the University of Arkansas. This appeal must be filed within 20 working days of receiving the decision of the Graduate Dean. Any appeal at this level shall be on the basis of the complete written record only and will not involve interviews with any party to the grievance. The Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs shall make a decision on the matter within 20 working days from the date of receipt of the appeal. His/her decision shall be forwarded in writing to the Graduate Dean, the student, and the respondent. This decision is final.

8. If any party to the grievance violates this policy, he/she will be subject either to losing the assistantship position or losing the assistantship. When alleging such a violation, the aggrieved individual shall contact the Graduate Dean, in writing, with an explanation of the violation.

(Campus Council, May 4, 1989)

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, will pursue allegations of research misconduct. This pursuit will involve an inquiry of the allegation; an investigation if the inquiry indicates one is warranted; and imposition of sanctions if justified.

I. Definition of Terms

Research misconduct. This term refers to: 1) fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, deception, or other practices which seriously deviate from those commonly accepted within the research community for proposing, conducting, or reporting the results of research; 2) material failure to comply with federal, state, or local requirements for protection of researchers, human subjects, the public, or laboratory animals, or other requirements which relate to the conduct of research; or 3) failure to meet other material legal requirements governing research. The term research misconduct as used in this document does include such improper activities as plagiarism of original literature and unauthorized copying of original art work.

Inquiry. The information gathering and initial fact-finding to determine whether an allegation or an apparent instance of research misconduct warrants an investigation.

Investigation. The formal examination and evaluation of all relevant facts to determine if research misconduct has occurred.

The appropriate office of research administration for the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, is either the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs or the University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.

The date of initiation of the investigation is the day the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs is notified by the Chair of the Research Council that an investigation is necessary.

Note: See definition of Research Council, following this policy.

II. The Inquiry

A. An inquiry is not a formal hearing; it is designed to separate allegations deserving further investigation from frivolous, unjustified, or clearly mistaken allegations. The inquiry must result in either dismissal of the allegation or a call for an investigation. A suspected criminal act will result in the suspension of the inquiry until the appropriate law enforcement agency allows it to continue.

B. Allegations of research misconduct will be submitted to the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and should be as specific and detailed as conditions permit. These allegations will normally be submitted in writing and signed by the complainant(s). When the complainant(s) elect(s) not to submit a signed document, the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs shall exercise discretion as to whether the information presented warrants an inquiry. Whenever possible, the Vice Chancellor shall counsel confidentially with the complainant(s).

C. The Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will immediately charge the Chair of the Research Council with conducting an inquiry into the allegation of research misconduct. The inquiry will then be conducted by the Research Council. All members of the Research Council must disclose potential conflicts of interest to the Council, which will determine if conflicts exist and excuse member(s) from the inquiry as appropriate. In the event the Chair of the Research Council has possible conflicts of interest, the Research Council will elect a chair of the inquiry from its membership. That person will perform the same duties detailed for the Chair of the Research Council.

D. The inquiry must be initiated immediately upon receipt of an allegation of research misconduct by the Chair of the Research Council. The inquiry should be completed within 60 calendar days of the date the chair received the allegation. If circumstances clearly warrant a period of longer than 60 calendar days for the inquiry, the reasons for the extended time period shall be submitted in writing to the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

E. If criminal conduct is suspected, the appropriate authorities will be notified, and the inquiry will be suspended until those authorities notify the Research Council that it is appropriate to reconvene the inquiry.

F. A written record must be kept of the inquiry including, if necessary, the reasons for an extended inquiry period. The safety and security of the record will be assured. The Chair of the Research Council will assume responsibility for the written record and other materials acquired during the progress of the inquiry. The materials and record will be kept in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. Members of the Research Council wishing to view those materials and/or the written record at times other than when the Council is in session (for purposes of conducting the inquiry) must go to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. Only the Chair of the Research Council or those designated by the Chair may remove the record or materials and then only to bring to the Council for the purpose of conducting the inquiry.

G. During the inquiry stage, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, will protect the confidentiality of all parties involved to the maximum extent possible. Whether a case can be reviewed effectively without the involvement of the complainant(s) or the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct depends upon the nature of the allegation and the evidence available. Cases that depend specifically upon the observations or statements of the complainant(s) may not proceed without the involvement of that individual; other cases that rely on documentary evidence may permit the complainant(s) to remain anonymous. It may be necessary to include the person(s) alleged to have been involved in research misconduct during the inquiry. In such instances the person(s) must be advised of the allegation of research misconduct.

H. The complainant(s) and the person(s) alleged to have been involved in research misconduct shall supply information and material as requested by the Research Council.

I. Both the complainant(s) and the person(s) charged in the allegation may seek legal counsel. Such counsel will not be allowed to be physically present during the inquiry sessions.

J. The completion of an inquiry is marked by the Research Council’s determination of whether or not an investigation is warranted and by the preparation of written documentation to summarize the process and conclusion of the inquiry. The Chair of the Research Council will provide a written report of the findings of the inquiry to the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. If an investigation is needed, the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will so notify in writing the complainant(s), the person(s) alleged to have been involved in research misconduct, the appropriate deans and chairs, the appropriate office of research administration, and all other persons who have been informed of the inquiry by the Research Council or University officials. If the allegations have been found to have no substance, the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will immediately notify in writing only those persons informed of the inquiry and move to restore all situations to as close to their original conditions as possible.

K. If the need for an investigation is determined, any agency sponsoring the research will be immediately notified in writing by the appropriate office of research administration. The funding agency may be informed before the inquiry is complete if: 1) the seriousness of alleged misconduct is apparent; 2) immediate health hazards are involved; 3) the funding agency’s resources, reputation, or other interests need protecting; 4) federal action may be needed to protect the interests of a subject of the investigation or of others potentially affected; or 5) the community or the public should be informed. If, at any point in an inquiry, criminal violations become apparent, the funding agency will be notified within 24 hours if at all possible. The appropriate legal authorities will also be notified. The funding agency will be notified if the alleged research misconduct is going to be publicly announced by the University.

L. During the inquiry, interim administrative action may be taken by the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs when justified by the need to protect the health and safety of research subjects, the interests of students and colleagues, or the University. Administrative action may range from slight restrictions of activities, reassignment of activities, or suspension of all research activities of the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct. Interim administrative action will be taken in full awareness of how it might affect the individuals and the ongoing research within the institution.

III. Rights of the Complainant(s) and Persons Alleged to have Committed Research Misconduct

A. The proceedings of an inquiry, including the identity of the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct, will be held in strict confidence to protect the parties involved. If confidentiality is breached and the inquiry finds the allegation to be unsupported, the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will take reasonable steps to minimize the damage to reputations which may result from inaccurate reports.

B. If an allegation is found to be unsupported but has been submitted in good faith, no further formal action will be taken other than the notifications required by paragraph II.J above. Allegations that have not been brought in good faith will lead to appropriate disciplinary action. Complainants should be aware from the outset that their confidentiality will not be maintained if the Research Council determines that the complaint is maliciously motivated and false. Such complaints will be considered to be research misconduct.

C. Where a complaint has been brought in good faith even if mistaken, the University will protect the complainant(s) against retaliation. Individuals engaging in acts of retaliation will be disciplined in accordance with the policies of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

IV. The Investigation

A. The investigation’s purpose is to explore further the allegations and determine whether research misconduct has been committed. The investigation will focus on accusations of research misconduct as defined previously and examine the factual materials of each case. The investigation will look carefully at the substance of the charges and examine all relevant evidence.

B. Once the Research Council has determined an investigation is required, it must be conducted. The person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct does not have the right to challenge the initiation of the investigation.

C. The Research Council will determine the composition of the investigative committee and insure that it has the appropriate expertise to evaluate the evidence. It may be possible to utilize an existing committee, the presence of which may be mandated by federal agencies. For example, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee may be the appropriate body to investigate an allegation of mistreatment of laboratory animals. Members of the investigative committee may come from within or outside the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. The Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will provide the necessary resources for outside experts when sufficient expertise does not exist at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. The minimum number of committee members will be five. The Research Council will appoint the chair of the investigative committee.

D. Conflicts of interest must be avoided. Those investigating the allegations will be selected and serve with full awareness of the closeness of their professional or personal affiliation with the complainant(s) and/or the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct. Any person appointed to an investigative committee who may have a conflict of interest in a given case must disclose potential conflicts to the Chair of the Research Council in writing within one week. The Research Council will determine if a conflict exists and rescind or continue the appointment as appropriate.

E. The Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct will be notified in writing by the Chair of the Research Council as to the composition of the investigative committee.

F. The person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct shall have an opportunity to respond to the allegation. Any initial response to the allegation should be received in writing by the Chair of the Research Council within 15 calendar days following the date of the notification letter described in IV.E. The Chair of the Research Council shall immediately forward any response to the chair of the investigative committee.

G. The investigation will be conducted as expeditiously as possible. In most cases the investigation will be completed within 120 calendar days of its initiation. In certain cases 120 days may be insufficient. In such cases the investigative committee will prepare an interim written report by the 120th calendar day after the initiation of the investigation to report progress to date, including reasons for the extra time required for the completion of the investigation. The chair of the investigative committee will distribute the report to the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct, the appropriate office of research administration, and the Chair of the Research Council.

H. Written records and all other materials pertinent to the investigation will be kept in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and will be available only to individual investigative committee members. Only the chair of the investigative committee or his/her designee may remove the records and material.

I. In the course of an investigation, additional information may emerge which justifies broadening the scope of the investigation beyond the initial allegations. Any such change in scope will be immediately reported in writing by the chair of the investigative committee to the Chair of the Research Council, who will notify the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the complainant(s), the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct, and the appropriate office of research administration. The appropriate office of research administration will report significant new developments during the investigation to any sponsor(s) of the research as they occur.

J. The person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct must provide information requested by the investigative committee. All involved parties are obligated to cooperate with the investigative committee in providing information relating to the case.

K. Throughout the investigation, the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct may, at the discretion of the investigative committee, be advised of the progress of the investigation and afforded the opportunity to respond and/or provide additional information to the investigative committee.

L. The person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct will be allowed to submit written statements from others, to appear before the investigative committee and make an oral statement, and to answer questions. In any appearance before the investigative committee, the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct may be accompanied by one person, who may be an attorney, to advise him/her. The adviser shall not address the investigative committee, speak on behalf of the
person, or otherwise participate actively in the investigation. The person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct may not be present during testimony of other witnesses or during committee deliberations, nor may he/she have access to committee records.

M. In the event criminal actions are discovered during the investigation, the proper authorities will be notified and the investigation will be suspended until those notified authorities approve its resumption.

N. During the investigation, interim administrative action may be taken by the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs when justified by the need to protect the health and safety of research subjects, the interests of students and colleagues, or the University. Administrative action may range from slight restrictions of activities, reassignment of activities, or suspension of all research activities of the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct. Interim administrative action will be taken in full awareness of how it might affect the individuals and the ongoing research within the institution.

O. The investigation into allegations of research misconduct may have any number of outcomes, including but not limited to a determination that:

1. no research misconduct or serious research error
  was committed;

2. no research misconduct was committed, but serious 
  research errors were discovered in the course of the 
  investigation; or

3. research misconduct was committed.

P. The investigative committee will provide a draft report to the Chair of the Research Council, who will provide copies to the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct, the complainant(s), and the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for their comment prior to preparation of the final written report. This report will contain the tentative findings of the investigative committee with its rationale. The investigative committee will allow at least 15 calendar days from the date the report is mailed to the Chair of the Research Council for input from any of the parties receiving the draft report before preparing the final report. Copies of the final report will be distributed by the Chair of the Research Council to the person(s) alleged to have committed research misconduct, the complainant(s), the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and the appropriate office of research administration.

V. Procedures Once the Investigation is Complete

A. The Research Council will conduct a substantive review of the findings and rationale of the investigative committee within 15 calendar days from the date of the final report of the committee. The Research Council may accept or modify the findings of the investigative committee and shall recommend corrective or disciplinary action, if appropriate. The Chair of the Research Council will report in writing the action of the Research Council to the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the chair of the investigative committee, the complainant(s), those alleged to have committed research misconduct, the appropriate office for research administration, and others notified of the investigation.

B. No Finding of Research Misconduct: When the investigation finds no support for allegations of research misconduct and the Research Council concurs, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, will retain the findings of the investigation in a confidential and secure file in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. The Chair of the Research Council will notify in writing all persons informed of the investigation that the allegation lacked substance. The Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will take reasonable steps to repair the reputations of those alleged to have committed research misconduct. If the allegations of research misconduct are found to be maliciously motivated, appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken against those responsible. If the allegations, however incorrect, are found to have been made in good faith, no disciplinary measures will be taken against the complainant(s), and efforts will be made to prevent retaliatory actions. The Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will be responsible for these efforts.

C. Serious Research Error is Found: When serious research error has been found, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, will consider means of correcting the research record. When appropriate, this will involve written notification by the Chair of the Research Council to the editors of appropriate journals or other documents in which the errors were reported.

   Sanctions may be imposed on those found to have committed serious research error. The Chair of the Research Council will notify all persons informed of the investigation that serious research error has occurred.

D. Finding of Research Misconduct: Sanctions will be imposed on those found to have committed research misconduct.

VI. Sanctions

A. The Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will review the corrective or disciplinary action recommended by the Research Council. The Provost/Vice Chancellor may implement the action as recommended or modify it as appropriate.

B. Institutional disciplinary actions include but are not limited to:

1. special monitoring of future work,

2. letter of reprimand,

3. removal from a particular project,

4. probation,

5. suspension,

6. salary reduction,

7. rank reduction, and

8. termination of employment.

C. The Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will report in writing the sanctions imposed to the person(s) found to have committed serious research error or misconduct, the complainant(s), the Chair of the Research Council, the appropriate deans and chairs, and the appropriate office of research administration which will notify the research sponsor(s).

VII. Brief Final Report

The Chair of the Research Council will prepare a brief final report which summarizes the findings of the investigative committee, the action of the Research Council, the sanctions imposed by the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and any additional related actions by the involved parties. When no finding of serious research error or misconduct is found, the Chair of the Research Council will distribute the final report only to those informed of the investigation. When serious error or misconduct has been found, the Chair of the Research Council will distribute the final report to those informed of the investigation and to appropriate individuals and agencies in the following list. The list is illustrative but not exhaustive of those who should receive the brief final report:

1. sponsoring agencies, funding sources;

2. co-authors, co-investigators, collaborators;

3. editors of journals in which inappropriate research
was published;

4. state professional licensing boards;

5. editors of journals or other publications, other institutions,
sponsoring agencies, and funding sources with which the
individual has been affiliated;

6. professional societies;

7. legal authorities if appropriate; and

8. the person(s) who committed the research error or
misconduct.

The original copy of the final report will be stored in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs with the other documents pertaining to the investigation.

VIII. Public Disclosure

The Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will issue a press release following a finding that serious research error or misconduct has occurred and sanctions imposed.

IX. Outside Investigations

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, recognizes that sponsoring agencies may conduct their own inquiries and investigations and impose their own sanctions.

The Research Council recommends policies to encourage research, establish a research environment, and provide research support facilities; serves as a review board for proposed research programs and facilities; recommends adjudication of variances to policies and procedures; supervises the approved policies; and addresses research misconduct cases at the direction of the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Membership consists of a faculty member active in research from: a) the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences; b) the Sam M. Walton College of Business; c) the College of Education and Health Professions; d) the College of Engineering; and e) one from the science areas of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and f) one from another research area in the Fulbright College; g) non-voting, one student; h) ex officio and non-voting, the Director of Research and Sponsored Programs; and i) ex officio and non-voting, the Vice Provost for Research. A secretary (non-voting) will be provided by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.

The University of Arkansas is committed to the health and safety of its students, faculty, and staff. It is recognized that during their work for the University, some people will be involved in activities that require the use of substances or materials that are hazardous or toxic in nature. The Environmental Health and Safety unit of the physical plant has prepared the UAF Chemical Hygiene plan. This document addresses the safe use of toxic substances in laboratories. In addition, it defines the minimum acceptable standard safety practices for execution of laboratory work for both research and teaching. The chemical hygiene plan is available from the Office of Environmental Health and Safety at http://www.phpl.uark.edu/ehs/ and is the full statement of the UAF campus policy and procedures for handling toxic substances.

Graduate students who travel on University business must comply with the travel policies of the University. For those graduate students not on assistantships/fellowships, please see the University policy at http://studentaffairs.uark.edu/ by clicking on “Student Travel Policy.”

The use of the services of term paper assistance companies is a violation of University policies on academic integrity. Student submission of such research or term papers to meet requirements of any class or degree program is expressly prohibited and constitutes academic dishonesty. Any violation of this prohibition will automatically result in both punitive action by the instructor (e.g., the award of a grade of “F” for the course) and a referral of each violation to the All-University Judiciary Committee for its consideration.

Students may be dropped from further study in the Graduate School if at any time their performance is considered unsatisfactory as determined by either the program faculty or the Dean of the Graduate School. Academic or research dishonesty and failure to maintain a specified cumulative grade-point average are considered to be unsatisfactory performance. See the Graduate Student Dismissal Policy, the Academic Probation Policy for Graduate Students, the Academic Honesty Policy for Graduate Students, and the Research Misconduct Policy, in this catalog.

Using its own written procedures, the graduate faculty of an academic degree program may recommend that the student be readmitted to the Graduate School after dismissal. Dismissed students with non-degree status may petition for readmission to the Graduate School by submitting a written appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School. The graduate faculty of any degree program may establish and state in writing requirements for continuation in that program.

Graduate degree programs have the right to dismiss graduate students who a) do not make adequate academic progress; b) engage in academic or research misconduct; or c) engage in illegal, fraudulent, or unethical behavior as defined in any of the University codes or policies pertaining to academic and research honesty. There may also be other unusual situations in which a student may be dismissed from a degree program. In each case, the dismissal should comply with the following procedures.

Lack of Adequate Academic Progress

Students may be dismissed per the academic probation policy of the Graduate School, and students should familiarize themselves with this policy. In addition, students who have not been placed on probation, but who are not making adequate academic progress, may also be dismissed. They must be warned in writing of the possibility of dismissal and will be given a clear statement about what must be done within a specified time period to alleviate the problem. These expectations must be reasonable and consistent with expectations held for all students in the program. If the student does not meet the requirements within the time frame specified, he/she may be dismissed by the degree program with notification to the student and the Graduate School. Students dismissed in this way will not necessarily be dismissed by the Graduate School. Students may appeal this dismissal to the Graduate School, following the procedures outlined in the Graduate Student Grievance Policy.

Academic or Research Misconduct/Illegal, Fraudulent,
or Unethical Behavior

For the process for dismissing students as a result of academic or research misconduct; or as a result of illegal, fraudulent, or unethical behavior, please see the “Academic Honesty Policy for Graduate Students,” the “Research Misconduct Policy,” and the University of Arkansas Student Handbook. Students who are dismissed by their degree programs for academic or research misconduct after the appropriate due process review will also be dismissed by the Graduate School.

Other Situations

Departments may dismiss students for situations other than those specified above. When doing so, the department must notify the student in writing of the possibility of dismissal. If it is possible for the student to rectify the situation, he/she must be given a clear statement about what must be done within a specified time period to alleviate the problem. These expectations must be reasonable and consistent with expectations held for all students in the program. If the student does not meet the requirements within the time frame specified, he/she may be dismissed by the degree program with notification to the student and the Graduate School. Students dismissed in this way will not necessarily be dismissed by the Graduate School.

If the situation cannot be rectified, the student will be notified in writing of the grounds for dismissal and the date when the dismissal will be effective. This will normally be the end of the semester in which the student is enrolled, but the circumstances of the dismissal will be important in determining this date.

Students may appeal their dismissal to the Graduate School, following the procedures outlined in the Graduate Student Grievance Policy.

Whenever a regularly admitted graduate student earns a cumulative grade-point average below 2.85 on graded course work taken in residence for graduate credit, he/she will be warned of the possibility of academic dismissal. When a graduate student has accumulated a minimum of 15 hours of graded course work taken in residence for graduate credit with a cumulative grade-point average below 2.85, and has received at least one warning, he/she will be academically dismissed from the Graduate School. This policy is effective with students entering the Graduate School in Fall 2002 or after. For the policy in effect before that time, contact the Graduate School. If a student is originally admitted prior to Fall 2002, but does not maintain registration and applies for readmission after Fall 2002, the current policy will apply.

Graduate teaching and research assistants and students on Lever, Doctoral, Chancellor, Walton or other fellowships must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.85 on all course work taken for graduate credit. If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.85 on 6 or more hours of graduate work (one full-time semester), notification will be sent to the student and his/her department. If the CGPA is below 2.85 at the end of the next major semester (fall or spring), the department will not be allowed to appoint the student to an assistantship/fellowship until such time as his/her CGPA has been raised to the required level. Note: Individual degree programs may have more stringent requirements.

The Graduate School calculates the cumulative grade-point average on all courses taken for graduate credit at the University of Arkansas. Individual degree programs have the option to calculate the cumulative grade-point average only for those graduate courses taken in residence for the current degree. Consequently, individual degree programs may academically dismiss students whose cumulative grade point average on all graduate course work is above 2.85, but whose work for the current degree is below 2.85. If a program adopts this alternative policy, it must be so stated in the departmental graduate student handbook and in the Graduate Catalog and must apply to all graduate students in that program. When the program anticipates dismissing a student whose cumulative grade-point average is above 2.85, the program must notify the student, using the same process as specified in the general probation policy and must also notify the Graduate School. This policy is effective Fall 2003.

Scope, Implementation, and Review

The procedures contained in this policy pertain to graduate students under the authority of the Graduate School. Master’s students in the Graduate School of Business should contact their dean’s office for policies pertaining to them. Law students should contact the School of Law. Undergraduate students should refer to the Student Handbook. Where policies contained herein conflict with those described for undergraduate students in the Student Handbook, the policies contained in this policy shall take precedence for graduate students.

For details of procedures for implementing this policy, contact the Office of Community Standards and Student Ethics or the Graduate School. This University policy does not preclude the implementation by colleges or schools of more rigorous policies.

Academic Honesty

The University of Arkansas presents this policy as part of its effort to maintain the integrity of its academic processes. Academic honesty should be a concern of the entire University community, and a commitment to it must involve students, faculty, staff, and administrators.

Students must understand what academic integrity is and what the most common violations are. With that understanding, they must commit themselves to the highest standards for their own, as well as for their peers’, academic behavior.

Public support and encouragement by the faculty is a second critical component necessary to strengthen academic integrity on campus. Faculty members must be continually vigilant in the management of their classes, their assignments, and their tests.

Finally, the administration of the University must present to the students standards of academic integrity. Those standards must be part of a publicly recognized, understood, and accepted set of policies and procedures that can be applied consistently and fairly in cases of academic dishonesty.

It is the responsibility of each student, faculty member, and administrator to understand these policies. A lack of understanding is not an adequate defense against a charge of academic dishonesty.

With regard to the application of this policy, the University assures its support of faculty members and other employees of the University who are acting in good faith in the course and scope of their employment and in the performance of their official duties.

This policy is only a part of the University’s effort to promote academic and research integrity in all aspects of its programs. By necessity, this policy discusses only prohibited acts and a process of applying sanctions. The ultimate goal, of course, is to provide an atmosphere that will make superfluous the procedures and sanctions that follow.

Definition of Terms

Academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty involves acts that may subvert or compromise the integrity of the educational or research process at the University of Arkansas. Included is an act by which a student gains or attempts to gain an academic advantage for himself/herself or another by misrepresenting his/her or another’s work or by interfering with the completion, submission, or evaluation of work. Academic misconduct may include those acts defined as research or scholarly misconduct. Allegations of research or scholarly misconduct on the part of graduate students are subject to this policy. However, such cases may also be reviewed under the University’s Research Misconduct Policies and Procedures.

Academic/Research Misconduct. Academic and/or research misconduct may include, but is not limited to, accomplishing or attempting any of the following acts:

•   Altering grades or official records.

•   Using any materials that are not authorized by the instructor for use during an examination.

•   Copying from or viewing another student’s work during an examination.

•   Collaborating during an examination with any other person by giving or receiving information without specific permission of the instructor.

•   Stealing, buying, or otherwise obtaining information about an examination not yet administered.

•   Collaborating on laboratory work, take-home examinations, homework, or other assigned work when instructed to work independently.

•   Substituting for another person or permitting any other person to substitute for oneself to take an examination.

•   Submitting as one’s own any theme, report, term paper, essay, computer program, other written work, speech, painting, drawing, sculpture, or other art work prepared totally or in part by another.

•   Submitting, without specific permission of the instructor, work that has been previously offered for credit in another course.

•   Plagiarizing, that is, the offering as one’s own work, the words, ideas, or arguments of another person or using the work of another without appropriate attribution by quotation, reference, or footnote. Plagiarism occurs both when the words of another (in print, electronic, or any other medium) are reproduced without acknowledgement and when the ideas or arguments of another are paraphrased in such a way as to lead the reader to believe that they originated with the writer. It is not sufficient to provide a citation if the words of another have been reproduced – this also requires quotation marks. It is the responsibility of all University students to understand the methods of proper attribution and to apply those principles in all materials submitted.

•   Sabotaging of another student’s work.

•   Falsifying or committing forgery on any University form or document.

•   Submitting altered or falsified data as experimental data from laboratory projects, survey research, or other field research.

•   Committing any willful act of dishonesty that interferes with the operation of the academic or research process.

•   Facilitating or aiding in any act of academic or research dishonesty.

Procedures

Sanctions for acts of academic dishonesty committed by graduate students may be applied in the following ways. 

A.  Initial Report of Infraction

1. Infractions Involving Graded Course Work

When an instructor determines or believes that a student in the instructor’s class is responsible for academic dishonesty deserving of sanction, the instructor will meet with the student and explain the allegation. Without waiving the option to pursue charges, the instructor may also choose to contact the Office of Student Mediation and Conflict Resolution for help in resolving the situation. If the instructor wishes to pursue charges of academic misconduct, he/she should within five working days after meeting with the student, or as soon as practicable thereafter, follow a. or b. (following). If the Office of Student Mediation and Conflict Resolution is involved, the five days does not begin until the instructor is aware of the termination of those services. (If the instructor is either a graduate teaching assistant or a temporary faculty member, then a supervising faculty member or the departmental head or chairperson may assist in the handling of an academic dishonesty case.) 

a. The instructor may determine a grade sanction and within five working days report that sanction along with the essential details of the matter to the judicial coordinator in the Office of Community Standards and Student Ethics and to the Graduate Dean. The student sanctioned in this way by an instructor will be notified by the Office of Community Standards and Student Ethics and will have five working days from that notification to request a hearing by the All University Judiciary (AUJ). The All University Judiciary is defined, and its composition described, in the Student Handbook. If the student does not request a hearing within five working days, then it is assumed that the sanction is not contested. The student will be required to have a conference with the judicial coordinator so that the consequences of the action can be made clear. The student may appeal a grade sanction to the AUJ only on the grounds that he/she did not commit the violation. If the student wishes to appeal the severity of a sanction, he/she will follow the Academic Grievance Procedures for Graduate Students.

  To the extent practical, at the discretion of the instructor, during the course of an appeal to the AUJ or the Graduate Grievance committee (depending on the nature of the appeal), the student’s participation in the affected class should continue so that any action can be reversed without prejudicing the student’s academic performance and evaluation.

  The AUJ is given the authority to determine whether the evidence substantiates the charges of the instructor. If the AUJ determines that the evidence does not substantiate the charges, the grade sanction will be withdrawn and the matter will end. Should the AUJ determine the evidence does substantiate the charges of the instructor, the grade sanction will stand, and the AUJ may also impose additional sanctions, as listed under Sanctions, below. The degree program and/or the Graduate School may impose sanctions in addition to those imposed by the instructor and the AUJ, including expulsion from the program or the University. While the instructor should be consulted in such cases, these additional sanctions may be imposed by the AUJ, the Graduate School and/or the degree program without the permission of the instructor. In addition to other sanctions, graduate students may be dismissed by their degree program or the Graduate School on the first or any subsequent instances of academic dishonesty. Students may not withdraw from either courses in which judicial action is pending or in which they have received a grade sanction. 

b. The instructor may file an incident report form referring the case to the student judicial process for determinations of responsibility and the application of sanctions. If the student is determined to be responsible for academic dishonesty, then the instructor may apply a grade sanction in addition to whatever sanctions are applied by the judicial process. To the extent practical, at the discretion of the instructor, while such a case is pending in the judicial process, the student’s participation in the affected class should continue, to avoid pre-empting the options available after responsibility is determined.

  If the student is determined to be responsible for the actions charged, the instructor will impose a grade sanction. The AUJ has no authority to impose a grade sanction but is permitted to make a recommendation and to impose other sanctions, as described below. Additionally, the Graduate School and/or the degree program may impose sanctions in addition to those imposed by the instructor. In such cases, the instructor should be consulted, but additional sanctions may be imposed by the AUJ, the Graduate School, and/or the degree program without the permission of the instructor. Students may not withdraw from a course for which judicial action is pending or in which they have received a grade sanction. Should the graduate student feel that the severity of the grade sanction is unfair, he/she may appeal via the Academic Grievance Policy for Graduate Students. 

  It should be noted that, in addition to other possible sanctions, graduate students may be dismissed by their degree program and/or the Graduate School on the first or any subsequent instance of academic dishonesty.

2. Infractions Not Involving Graded Course Work

Cases of academic misconduct may occur in situations not involving graded course work. One example is a situation where a graduate student plagiarizes material for his/her dissertation. In cases not involving graded course work, the department chairperson/program director and major professor, or other appropriate official(s) will meet with the student. Without waiving the option to pursue charges, the program may also choose to contact the Office of Student Mediation and Conflict Resolution for help in resolving the situation. If the department/program decides to proceed with charges of academic misconduct, the chair/head/director or other appropriate official will, within five working days after meeting with the student, or as soon as practicable thereafter, follow one of the following: (If the Office of Student Mediation and Conflict Resolution is involved, the five days does not begin until the instructor is aware of the termination of those services.)

a. The department or program faculty will determine a sanction, and the department chairperson/program director will, within five working days after meeting with the student (or as soon as practicable thereafter), report that sanction along with the essential details of the incident to the judicial coordinator in the Office of Community Standards and Student Ethics and to the Graduate Dean. The student sanctioned in this way by a department or program will be notified by the Office of Community Standards and Student Ethics and will have five working days from that notification to request a hearing by the All University Judiciary (AUJ). The All University Judiciary is defined, and its composition described, in the Student Handbook. If the student does not request a hearing within five working days, then it is assumed that the sanction is not contested. The student will be required to have a conference with the judicial coordinator so that the consequences of the action can be made clear.

  The student may appeal such a sanction to the AUJ only on the grounds that he/she did not commit the violation. If the student wishes to appeal the severity of a sanction, he/she will follow the Academic Grievance Procedures for Graduate Students.

  While such a case is pending in the student judicial process, to the extent practical, at the discretion of the program, the student’s participation in the degree program should continue so that any action can be reversed without prejudicing the student’s academic performance and evaluation. 

b. The department chairperson/program director may file an incident report form referring the case to the judicial process for determination of responsibility. If the student is determined to be responsible for academic dishonesty, then the judicial board may impose a sanction in addition to that imposed by the program/department and the Graduate School. Sanctions are listed and described below. To the extent practical, at the discretion of the program, while such a case is pending in the judicial process, the student’s participation in the program should continue, to avoid pre-empting the options available after the responsibility is determined.

  Unlike the situation in which the Judicial Board hears the appeal of a student protesting a sanction imposed by the department/program, students who are sanctioned by the Judicial Board itself may appeal both the imposition of and the severity of the sanction via the Academic Grievance Procedure for Graduate Students. Graduate students may be dismissed by their degree program and/or the Graduate School on the first or any subsequent instance of academic dishonesty.

B. Appeals

1. When a sanction has been imposed by the instructor or department/program: The student may appeal such a sanction to the AUJ on the grounds that he/she did not commit the violation. If the student wishes to appeal the severity of a sanction, he/she will follow the Academic Grievance Procedures for Graduate Students. In both cases, the student will notify the appropriate office of his/her appeal within five working days of receiving the sanction, or as soon as practicable. For appeals to the AUJ, the student will contact the Office of Student Ethics and Community Standards. For appeals following the Academic Grievance Procedures for Graduate Students, the student will contact the Graduate School.

2. When a sanction has been imposed by the AUJ: Unlike the situation in which the Judicial Board hears the appeal of a student protesting a sanction imposed by the department/program, students who are sanctioned by the Judicial Board itself may appeal either or both the imposition of and the severity of the sanction via the Academic Grievance Procedure for Graduate Students. Students who wish to initiate such an appeal shall contact the Graduate School within five working days of receiving the sanction, or as soon as practicable.

3. When a sanction has been imposed by the Graduate School: Students who are sanctioned by the Graduate School may appeal to the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Sanctions

The choice of sanctions in cases of academic dishonesty involves considerations of the integrity of the educational process of the University. There is no place in that process for academic dishonesty, and these actions will be taken seriously. The intent of this policy is to make acts of academic dishonesty clear risks; that is, the sanctions are to be sufficiently heavy to deter academic dishonesty.

While not intended to be an exhaustive list, the following are
possible sanctions for academic dishonesty:

•  Grade Sanctions: An instructor may impose a grade sanction. Grade sanctions may consist of either grades of zero or failing grades on part or all of a submitted assignment or examination, or a lowering of a course grade, or a failing course grade. All grade sanctions must be appropriately reported as outlined in the procedures above. A graduate student may appeal the severity of a grade sanction via the Academic Grievance Procedures for Graduate Students. Once a grade sanction has been applied, following the procedures outlined herein, students may not withdraw from courses in which they have been assessed a grade sanction, unless this has been recommended by the AUJ or a grievance committee.

•  Other Sanctions: The graduate student’s program or the Graduate School may impose a variety of other sanctions, including but not limited to any of the following: requiring an activity designed to increase the student’s awareness of and understanding about academic honesty, placing the student on probation or suspension, or dismissing the student.  

•  The AUJ may administer the following sanctions: University reprimand, University censure, conduct probation, restrictive conduct probation, suspension, indefinite suspension, educational sanctions, or expulsion. Please see the Student Handbook for definitions of these sanctions.

It should be noted that graduate students may receive any of these sanctions, including dismissal, upon the first or any subsequent finding of academic misconduct.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are as follows:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records, with some exceptions under the Act, within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar’s Office written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The appendix to Universitywide Administrative Memorandum 515.1 provides a list of the types and locations of education records, the custodian of those records, and copying fees for each individual campus. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. A sample form, which may be used in making this request, is contained in the appendix to Universitywide Administrative Memorandum 515.1.

If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing and is also contained in the Universitywide Administrative Memorandum 515.1

3. The right to withhold consent of disclosure of directory information, which information: the student’s name; address; telephone number; date and place of birth; nationality; religious preference; major field of study; classification by year; number of hours in which enrolled and number completed; parents’ or spouse’s names and addresses; marital status; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams; dates of attendance including matriculation and withdrawal dates; degrees, scholarships, honors, and awards received, including type and date granted; most recent previous education agency or institution attended; and photograph.

This information will be subject to public disclosure unless the student informs the Registrar’s Office in writing each semester that he or she does not want his information designated as directory information. To prevent publication of name in the printed student directory, written notice must reach the Registrar’s Office by August 31 of the Fall semester

4. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

Upon request, the University also discloses education records without consent to officials for another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is as follows:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202-4605 

6. Universitywide Administrative Memorandum 515.1 is available on request in Mullins Library on campus.

It will be a policy of the Graduate Council that every master’s, specialist, and doctoral student will be reviewed annually by his/her degree program for progress toward the degree. At a minimum, the review will cover progress in the following: a) completing courses with an adequate grade-point average; b) completing the thesis/dissertation/project requirements; c) completing all of the required examinations; d) completing other requirements for the degree. When the review of each student is completed, the review form will be signed by the graduate student and the department/program head/chair, as well as other appropriate individuals as designated in the program review policy. This review will be forwarded to the Graduate School, to be included in the student’s file.

All doctoral students who have been admitted to candidacy must enroll in a minimum of one hour of dissertation credit every semester (fall, spring, summer) until they graduate. Under unusual circumstances, this enrollment requirement may be waived for post-candidacy doctoral students for up to two years, with an approved request for a leave of absence. To request a leave of absence, the student’s major professor must petition the Graduate Dean, specifying the circumstances that make it necessary for the student to interrupt his/her studies. While a decision will be made on a case-by-case basis, circumstances that might be considered include serious illness of the student or his/her immediate family, serious personal problems, or job-related issues. While the student is on an approved leave of absence, he/she cannot use any University resources, such as e-mail, the library, or faculty time. A post-candidacy doctoral student who takes an unauthorized break in registration by failing to maintain continuous enrollment or failing to obtain a leave of absence will no longer be considered a graduate student at the University of Arkansas. Students who wish to be reinstated will be required to file an Application for Readmission (no fee) and register for three graduate credits for each term of unauthorized break in registration. In the case of extraordinarily extenuating circumstances, students may appeal the provisions of this policy and request additional terms of leave of absence or forgiveness of the additional credits of registration. Such an appeal must be made to the Graduate Dean. 

The student should be aware that the leave of absence policy does not waive the time requirements for a degree. A separate petition must be made for a time extension, if required.

Application for graduation must be completed in the Graduate Dean’s office, filed with the Registrar and fees paid for the semester in which degree requirements will be completed and graduation effected. If a student fails to complete the degree, the student must then renew the application and pay a renewal fee.

The faculty of the Graduate School, under the authorization of the Board of Trustees, grants the degrees listed below. In addition, the faculty of the Graduate School offers several non-degree graduate certificates. The graduate faculty, as represented by the Dean of the Graduate School and through the Graduate Council, has primary responsibility for the development, operating policies, administration, and quality of these programs. Operating through the Graduate Dean, the faculty appoints committees that directly supervise the student’s program of study and committees that monitor research activities and approve theses and dissertations.

Doctor of Philosophy

Doctor of Education

Educational Specialist

Master of Accountancy

Master of Arts

Master of Arts in Teaching

Master of Business Administration

Master of Education

Master of Fine Arts

Master of Information Systems

Master of Music

Master of Public Administration

Master of Public Service (Clinton School)

Master of Science

Master of Science in Biological Engineering

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering

Master of Science in Chemical Engineering

Master of Science in Civil Engineering

Master of Science in Computer Engineering

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering

Master of Science in Industrial Engineering

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Master of Science in Nursing

Master of Science in Operations Research

Master of Science in Telecommunications Engineering

Master of Science in Transportation Engineering

Master of Social Work

Master of Transportation and Logistics Management

As defined by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, graduate certificate programs consist of 12 to 18 hours of required course work in a focused area of study. The awarding of the certificate will be shown on the student’s transcript. Students must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School and the certificate program. Students who enter a graduate certificate program may use up to six hours of course work taken previously at the University of Arkansas to meet certificate requirements, with approval of the program faculty. Students who enter a graduate certificate program must complete all certificate requirements within six years of admission to the program. For students who have been admitted to both a degree program and a certificate program, courses taken to meet the requirements of one may also be used to meet the requirements of the other, at the discretion of the program and the student’s Advisory Committee. Graduate Certificates are offered in the following areas:

Advanced Instrumental Performance (Music)

Education Policy Studies (Educational Leadership,

Counseling and Foundations)

Educational Measurement (Educational Leadership,

Counseling and Foundations)

Educational Program Evaluation (Educational Leadership,

Counseling and Foundations)

Educational Statistics and Research Methods (Educational

Leadership, Counseling and Foundations)

Gerontology (Interdisciplinary)

The degree of Master of Arts (M.A.) is conferred for graduate work of which the major portion has been done in the liberal arts.

The degree of Master of Science (M.S.) is conferred for graduate work of which the major portion has been done in agriculture, educational foundations, engineering, kinesiology, health science, counseling, rehabilitation, human environmental sciences, biological and physical sciences, statistics, operations management, and communication disorders.

The degree of Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.) is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program of graduate studies in accounting.

The degree of Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) is conferred upon a student who majors in agricultural education, childhood education, middle-level education, physical education, secondary education, or vocational education.

The degree of Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) is conferred upon a student whose major work is in the field of business.

The degree of Master of Education (M.Ed.) is conferred upon a student who majors in the field of education.

The degree of Master of Information Systems (M.I.S.) is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program in information systems.

The degree of Master of Music (M.M.) is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program of graduate studies in music.

The Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program of graduate studies in the field of public administration.

The degree of Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in art, creative writing, drama, or translation is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program of graduate studies in these areas.

The Master of Science in Nursing is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program of graduate studies in this area.

The degree of Master of Social Work is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program of graduate studies in this area.

The degree of Master of Transportation and Logistics Management (M.T.L.M.) is conferred upon a student who completes an approved program of graduate studies in this area.

MASTER OF ARTS, MASTER OF SCIENCE

General minimum requirements of the Graduate School follow for the degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Science, including the several engineering degrees. Note: For degree requirements in the Master of Arts in Economics, see the Graduate School of Business.

1. 24 graduate semester hours and a thesis, or 30 semester hours without a thesis. (The thesis may be a departmental requirement or may be required by the major adviser.)

2. A comprehensive examination.

3. A cumulative grade-point average of 2.85. (Individual departments may have higher grade standards.)

4. Minimum residence of 24 weeks. (See Residence Requirements.)

Departments may set higher grade standards and other requirements.

Program of Study. At the time of admission to the Graduate School and acceptance in a program of study leading to a graduate degree, the student is assigned to a major adviser who becomes the adviser throughout the program of study and chair of the student’s graduate advisory committee. The choice of a major adviser is largely determined by the student’s choice of a major subject.

The program of study may consist of courses chosen from one department or it may include such cognate courses from other departments as may in individual instances seem to offer greatest immediate and permanent values. As a general principle, two-thirds of the courses come from the degree program in which the student is seeking a graduate degree. The program of study must be approved by the student’s Advisory Committee or, depending on program requirements, the Thesis Committee.

A student who writes a master’s thesis must register for a minimum of six semester hours of master’s thesis. No more than six semester hours of master’s thesis enrollment may be given credit in the degree program.

Students wishing to take 3000-level undergraduate courses for graduate credit will find the necessary forms on the Graduate School Web site at http://www.uark.edu/grad/. Courses numbered at the 3000 level may be taken by graduate students for graduate credit only when the courses are not in the student’s major area of study and when the courses have been approved by the Dean of the Graduate School for graduate credit. The instructor for the course must hold graduate faculty status and must certify that he/she will make appropriate adjustments in assignments and grading scales to raise the level of expectation for the student to the graduate level. No more than 20 percent of the graded course work in the degree program may be comprised of 3000-level courses carrying graduate credit. Undergraduate courses numbered below 3000 will not be allowed to carry graduate credit.

Under ordinary circumstances graduate registration is limited to 18 hours for any one semester including undergraduate courses and courses audited. Registration above 15 hours must be approved by the Graduate Dean.

All requirements for a master’s degree must be satisfied within six consecutive calendar years from the first semester of enrollment in the program.

Transfer of Credit. The University of Arkansas will permit a student to transfer six hours of graduate credit from an accredited graduate school in the United States, provided that the grades are “B” or better, and the subjects are acceptable to the program concerned, as a part of the master’s program. (The transfer of graduate credit from institutions outside the United States is at the discretion of the Graduate Dean.) This does not, however, reduce the minimum requirement of 24 weeks of residence for the master’s degree as set by state law. Students contemplating transfer of credit should consult with the Graduate School Office in advance. Please see transfer of credit regulations, below.

Note: Graduate courses transferred and used as requirements for a degree at another university cannot be used for a degree at this institution.

Transfer of Credit Regulations Established by the Graduate School for the Various Master’s Degrees:

Transfer of Credit is permissible for master’s programs only. Transfer of credit is not acceptable for doctoral degrees. For doctoral candidates, at the discretion of the advisory committee, the program of study may be adjusted in lieu of work taken at other colleges or universities and recognized by the candidate’s committee, but it will not appear on the University of Arkansas academic record.

Criteria for Acceptable Transfer Credit:

1. The course must have been regularly offered by a regionally accredited graduate school.

2. The course must not have been used to satisfy a requirement for any degree previously granted.

3. The course must have been a bona fide graduate level course, approved for graduate credit and taught by a member of the graduate faculty.

4. The student desiring to transfer graduate credit must have been enrolled as a graduate student in the graduate school at the institution offering the course.

5. The course must appear on an official transcript as graduate credit from the institution offering the course.

6. The course grade must be a “B” or “A.” (The student’s grade-point average is NOT to include grades on transfer courses.)

7. The course must be recommended by the student’s major adviser and be applicable to the degree requirement at the University of Arkansas.

8. The course must not have been taken by correspondence or for extension credit.

9. The course must be acceptable to the department concerned and to the Graduate Dean.

10. The student must have satisfied the 24-week residence requirements. (The student must have satisfactorily completed a total of 24 hours of graded graduate course work taken in residence.)

11. The course must have been taken within the time limit of the student’s program at the University of Arkansas.

12. Credit from foreign universities is typically not acceptable for transfer because of academic and procedural differences between U.S. regionally accredited and foreign institutions, but petition may be made to the Graduate Dean on a case by case basis.

Note: Graduate credit cannot be transferred to satisfy any of the requirements for the M.B.A. degree unless the school at which the course was taken is accredited by A.A.C.S.B. This requirement is not specified by the Graduate School, but by the Graduate School of Business.

Residence Requirements. The candidate must present a minimum of 24 course hours taken in residence at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. A total of 12 hours of residence may be accredited from University of Arkansas off-campus graduate courses (restriction does not apply to graduate degree programs offered through the Graduate Residence Centers, see page 21) or for work done in off-campus classes held in Fayetteville. Acceptance of transferred credit does not reduce the minimum residence requirement of 24 course hours.

Thesis. The title of the thesis must be recommended by the thesis director and the thesis committee and be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School at least three months before the date of the comprehensive examination. The thesis must be submitted for approval to the thesis committee consisting of a minimum of three faculty members who have been approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. This committee must receive the thesis at least three weeks prior to the comprehensive examination which is to be completed at least one week before the degree is to be conferred. In the situation when there is a split decision among committee members of a master’s program advisory or thesis committee, majority rules. Upon acceptance of the thesis by the thesis committee and at least one week before graduation, two typewritten copies of the unbound thesis in prescribed form must be delivered to the Graduate Dean for approval before it is deposited in the Mullins Library. All copies of the thesis must include original signatures of the student’s thesis committee of record as approved and filed in the Graduate Dean’s Office. Signatures of persons other than those of the official thesis director and members of the thesis committee are unacceptable.

Beginning with the May 2005 graduation, students must submit an abstract with the thesis. An abstract is defined as a 150-200 word synopsis of the thesis. See the Graduate School’s Guide to Preparing Theses and Dissertations.

Also, beginning with the summer 2006 graduation, students will be required to submit their theses to University Microfilms Incorporated (UMI). There will be an additional charge for this submission.

Comprehensive Examination. In addition to completing other requirements, the candidate for a master’s degree must take a comprehensive examination, which may be oral and/or written as recommended by the major department. If the student has completed a thesis, the final defense of the thesis must be oral. This can substitute for the comprehensive examination, if the department so chooses. If the final defense of the thesis substitutes for the comprehensive examination, the examination may include other aspects of the candidate’s graduate work. All members of the thesis committee (and advisory committee, if the thesis defense substitutes for the comprehensive examination) must participate in the thesis defense unless the Dean of the Graduate School has approved an exception. While this examination is typically not open to the public (unlike the doctoral dissertation defense), the student’s committee chair may, with the approval of the student, open the defense to selected members of the public. Questions from the public are at the discretion of the committee chair. The chair will insure that questions from the public are appropriate by disallowing those which are not.

Grade-Point Average. To receive a master’s degree, a candidate must present a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.85 on all graduate courses required for the degree, unless the department requires a higher grade point average. Failing to earn such an average on the minimum number of hours, the student is permitted to present up to six additional hours of graduate credit to accumulate a grade-point average of 2.85. In the computation of grade point, all courses pursued at this institution for graduate credit (including any repeated courses) shall be considered. Students who repeat a course in an endeavor to raise their grade must count the repetition toward the maximum of six additional hours. Individual departments may have higher grade standards.

Split Decisions among Advisory and Thesis Committees. When a split decision occurs among committee members of a master’s advisory or thesis committee, the majority decision will hold.

MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY

See the Graduate School of Business, page 165.

MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING

The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree program is a 33 semester hour degree offered in consecutive summer, fall, and spring semesters with initial enrollment in the summer semester. The M.A.T. degree is the initial certification program for students at the University of Arkansas and has six areas of emphasis: agricultural education, childhood education, middle level education, physical education, secondary education, and vocational education. Students are selected up to the maximum number designated for each cohort area of emphasis. Admission requirements for the M.A.T. degree for initial certification are: completion of an appropriate undergraduate degree program; a cumulative grade-point average of 2.7 in all previous courses (Note: some programs require a higher grade-point average – consult your faculty adviser); admission to the Graduate School; admission to Teacher Education program; completion of the pre-education core with a minimum of a “C” grade in all courses; completion of all prerequisite courses in the teaching field; successful completion of all required Praxis I and II exams; and payment of an internship fee.

The M.A.T. degree requires the completion of 10 to 12 hours of core courses to be selected from the following: CIED 5012, Measurement/Research/Statistical Concepts for Teachers; CIED 5022, Classroom Management Concepts for Teachers; CIED 5032, Curriculum Design Concepts for Teachers; CIED 5042, Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum; CIED 5052, Seminar: Multicultural Issues; and ETEC 5062, Teaching and Learning with Computer-Based Technologies. In addition, students must complete course work in their areas of emphasis, and a six hour internship is required. All M.A.T. students must participate in a comprehensive examination and one of the following: project, internship, directed research, and/or student portfolio. To receive the degree, a candidate must present a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 on all graduate courses required for the degree.

For information on the areas of specialization, refer to the sections of this catalog on agricultural education, childhood education, middle level education, physical education, secondary education, and vocational education.

Admission to candidacy, residence requirements, and other requirements are the same as for the Master of Education degree.

Teacher Licensure and licensure of other School Personnel: The approved program of study for initial teacher licensure at the University of Arkansas, except for Music and Art Education and Agricultural Education, is the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree program. The M.A.T. degree program is offered in consecutive summer, fall, and spring semesters with initial enrollment in the summer semester. The M.A.T. is a graduate degree program and requires a minimum of 33 semester hours. The M.A.T. degree program has six areas of emphasis: agriculture education, childhood education, middle level education, physical education, secondary education, and vocational education. Consult the Admission Process for Initial Teacher Licensure Stages I-IV and this catalog for admission and graduation requirements for the M.A.T. degree program.

The State Board of Education issues the regulations governing the licensure of teachers in Arkansas. The Board specifies minimum cut-off scores for the Praxis I and Praxis II exams. Each application for a teacher’s license or a request to add an additional license or endorsement area requires completion of an approved program of study and documentation of passing the Praxis exams. Those wishing to add an additional license or endorsement should contact the Coordinator of Teacher Education for the approved program of study.

The Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences, College of Education and Health Professions, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, and the University Teacher Education Board for Initial Certification have developed the preparation programs leading to initial teacher licensure. The Coordinator of Teacher Education will recommend students for initial teacher license who have submitted the licensing packet and successfully completed the appropriate approved program and all state licensure requirements. Consult the Coordinator of Teacher Education for licensure information at 117 Peabody Hall, 479-575-6740, or from the Arkansas Department of Education, 501-682-4342.  Students must follow the licensure guidelines as set forth by the Arkansas Department of Education.

Academic Regulations for Professional Education Programs

Admission Process for Initial Licensure:

Stage I: Enrolling in an Undergraduate Degree Program Leading to a Potential Teacher Licensure Field. Potential fields include the following:

• Agricultural Education – B.S.A.

• Art Education – B.F.A.

• Elementary Education – B.S.E.

• Human Environmental Sciences Education – B.S.H.E.S.

• Kinesiology K-12 – B.S.E.

• Middle Level Education – B.S.E.

• Music Education – B.M.

• Secondary Education – B.A., B.S.

• Vocational Education – B.S.E.

Stage II: Complete an Evaluation for Internship by October 1 prior to entering the M.A.T.  Art and music students should complete the evaluation by October 1 prior to a fall internship and March 1 prior to a spring internship. Satisfactory completion of this form does not guarantee admission to the M.A.T. degree program or other teacher education programs. This form can be downloaded from the College of Education and Health Professions Web site. The form must be completed and returned to the Coordinator of Teacher Education, 117 Peabody Hall. All requirements must be met to be cleared for the internship. The form is available from the college Web site at www.uark.edu/depts/coehp/certification.htm.

Students must meet the following criteria to be cleared for internship:

1. Successful completion of the PRAXIS I test by meeting or exceeding the Arkansas Department of Education cut-off scores. This test should be taken after the student has completed 30 credit hours and upon completion of ENGL 1013, ENGL 1023, and MATH 1203. Please note that several departments have additional program requirements regarding the Praxis I and II. Please consult with your adviser for additional requirements.

2. Obtain a “C” or better in the following pre-education core courses: CIED 1002, CIED 1011, CIED 3023 (PHED 3903 for KINS K-12 majors), CIED 3033, ETEC 2001, ETEC 2002L. For Middle Level Education and Elementary Education a minimum of “C” or higher must be earned in ENGL 1013, 1023, 2003, COMM 1313, and MATH 1203 unless University of Arkansas exemption is earned in one or more of the courses.

3.  Complete additional licensure requirements. COEHP majors take either HLSC 1002 or 1103 and PEAC 1621. PHED majors take either HLSC 1002 or 1103 and PHED 3042. ELED and MDLV majors take HIST 3383.  SEED Social Studies students take either HIST 4583 or HIST 3383 and any ECON course.

4.  Secondary Education majors except for Art and Music majors, must complete the following courses with a grade of “C” or higher:  CIED 3023 or 4023, CIED 4131, ETEC 2001/2002L, or demonstration of computer competencies in a portfolio.

5. Obtain a “C” or better in the six hours of program-specific courses. (See your adviser for information.)

6.  Schedule a visit with your adviser for additional requirements including admission to upper-division courses.

7. The student should consult with his/her adviser regarding PRAXIS II requirements.

8. Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.70 or higher in the undergraduate degree program (special conditional admission will be considered on a case-by-case basis for students with a GPA between 2.5 and 2.69). Some programs require a higher GPA. Consult your adviser for the GPA requirements for your program.

Stage III: Admission to M.A.T. Degree Program

Please consult with your faculty adviser for additional requirements set by your program. The following minimum criteria are necessary to be eligible for consideration for admission:

1. Meet all requirements in Stages I & II.

2. Complete an appropriate undergraduate degree program.

3. Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.70 or higher in all previous courses completed as part of a bachelor’s degree program. Some programs require a higher GPA. Consult your adviser for the GPA requirements for your program.

4. Obtain recommendation for admission from M.A.T. program area based on successful completion of portfolios, evaluation for internship, GPA requirements, course work requirements, selected written recommendations, an interview, and other requirements specified by your program.

5. Obtain admission to the Graduate School

Enrollment in each cohort will be limited. Transfer students will be allowed to enter the program on a space-available basis and must progress through all three admission stages.

Stage IV: Graduation requirements for the Master of Arts
in Teaching (M.A.T.)

1. Meet all requirements in Stages I – III.

2. Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00.

3. Complete a minimum of 33 graduate semester hours as specified by program area.

4. Satisfactorily complete an internship. The internship will be completed at a school/district in Benton or Washington counties that has been approved by the Northwest Arkansas Partnership Steering Committee.

5. Pass the appropriate Praxis test (see adviser for the appropriate test) by meeting or exceeding the Arkansas Department of Education cut-off scores. The test is required for most programs. Please consult with your adviser.

6. Successfully complete the comprehensive examination.

7. Consult with your adviser for other requirements.

8. Apply for degree at the Graduate School, 119 Ozark Hall

Licensure

Students who have completed Stages I – III must obtain a licensure packet from the Coordinator of Teacher Education, Peabody Hall room 117, prior to entering internship.

Note: Students should always consult the Coordinator of Teacher Education for licensure requirement changes. Students will not be licensed to teach in Arkansas until they have met all requirements for licensure as set forth by the Arkansas Department of Education.

Note: Students who have completed the B.M. or B.F.A. in music or art education and have completed the internship may obtain the licensure packet from the Coordinator of Teacher Education, Peabody Hall room 117. 

Usually licensure in another state is facilitated by qualifying for a license in Arkansas. An application in another state must be made on the application form of that state, which can be obtained by request from the State Teacher Licensure office in the capital city. An official transcript should accompany the application. In many instances the applications are referred to the Coordinator of Teacher Education to verify program completion in teacher education.

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

See the Graduate School of Business chapter in this catalog.

MASTER OF EDUCATION

The degree of Master of Education (M.Ed.) is offered with areas of concentration in educational administration, educational technology, elementary education, higher education, recreation, secondary education, special education, and workforce development education. The degree of Master of Science (M.S.) is offered in communication disorders, counseling, health science, kinesiology, and rehabilitation.

General minimum requirements for the degree of Master of Education (M.Ed.) follow:

1. 27 semester hours and a thesis or 33 semester hours and no thesis.

2. A written comprehensive examination.

3. A cumulative grade-point average of 3.00.

4. A minimum residence of 24 weeks.

After a student has been admitted to the Graduate School, the student may seek acceptance into one of the several program areas of concentration offered in the Master of Education program. Upon acceptance to a program area, the student is assigned an adviser. Acceptance in a program area should be accomplished before the completion of the first graduate course. Some programs require students admitted to the master’s degree program to take the Graduate Record Examinations, the Miller Analogies Test, or the National Teachers Examination. This should be accomplished prior to completion of 15 hours of graduate credit.

All Master of Education degree programs include a minimum of 33 semester hours. Nine semester hours of basic core courses are required for all M.Ed. students in three areas: Research Tools, Learning/Development Domain, and History/Philosophy Domain as follows:

1. Research Tools (students must select one course from this category): EDFD 5013, Research Methods in Education; HKRD 5353, Research in HKRD; and EDFD 5393, Statistics in Education & Health Professions.

2. Learning/Development Domain (students must select one course from this category): EDFD 5373, Psychological Foundations of Teaching and Learning; EDFD 5473, Adolescent Psychology in Education; and EDFD 5573, Life-Span Human Development; M.Ed. students in higher education may substitute HIED 5043, The Student in Higher Education.

3. History/Philosophy Domain (students must select one course from this category): EDFD 5303, Historical Foundations of Modern Education; EDFD 5353, Philosophy of Education; and EDFD 5323, Global Education. M.Ed. students in higher education and adult education may substitute HIED 5083, History and Philosophy of Higher Education. Students who are not eligible for a standard teaching certificate will be expected to complete additional work to fulfill this requirement in addition to the 33-hour graduate program. An exception to this policy is made for students who declare they are not preparing for a school position and will not seek a certificate required of professional employees in public schools.

Admission to Candidacy. Admission to candidacy will be met when the following have been completed:

1. unconditionally admitted to graduate standing.

2. accepted to a program area and assigned an adviser.

3. completion of 12 semester hours of graduate credit over and above any entrance deficiencies or conditions.

Transfer of Credit. Transfer of credit regulations established by the Graduate School for the Master of Arts and Master of Science degree apply to the Master of Education degree. (See page 39.)

The University of Arkansas also offers graduate-level courses for residence credit off the Fayetteville campus. See Graduate Resident Centers on page 21.

Residence Requirements. The candidate must be in residence a minimum of 24 weeks. A total of 12 weeks of residence or 12 semester hours of approved study may be accepted for residence credit from the University of Arkansas off-campus graduate courses. Acceptance of transferred credit does not reduce the minimum residence requirement of 24 weeks.

Graduate courses completed, but not applicable to the requirements for the master’s degree the student is pursuing, will not be accepted as part of the 24-week residence required for that degree.

All requirements for a master’s degree must be satisfied within six consecutive calendar years.

Other Requirements. Students who do not have a grade-point average of 3.00 upon completion of Master of Education program requirements may be allowed to submit up to six additional hours of graduate credit in residence on the Fayetteville campus or at approved Graduate Resident Centers to accumulate a 3.00 average.

The policies and procedures approved for the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees also apply to the Master of Education degree. In addition to completing other requirements, the candidate must pass a comprehensive examination administered by the respective program area.

MASTER OF FINE ARTS (IN ART)

See Art, page 55.

MASTER OF FINE ARTS (IN CREATIVE WRITING)

See Creative Writing, page 77.

MASTER OF FINE ARTS (IN DRAMA)

See Drama, page 83.

MASTER OF FINE ARTS (IN TRANSLATION)

See Translation, page 161.

Other Requirements for MFA Degrees

The policies and procedures approved for the Master of Arts and the Master of Science degrees also apply to the Master of Fine Arts degrees. In addition to completing other requirements, the candidate must pass a comprehensive examination administered by the respective program area.

MASTER OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

See the Graduate School of Business, page 165.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

See Nursing, page 133.

Master of Social Work

See Social Work, page 154.

MASTER OF TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS
MANAGEMENT

See the Graduate School of Business, page 165.

The Educational Specialist degree (Ed.S.) is undifferentiated but with six areas of specialization – counselor education, curriculum and instruction, educational administration, and higher education  – and may be issued by the Graduate School to those students whose major objective is to develop educational competency in one of these specialized areas. All graduate courses applicable to this degree must be taken on the Fayetteville campus unless otherwise specified.

All requirements for the Educational Specialist degree with specialization in educational administration may be completed at the Graduate Resident Centers in the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, University of Arkansas Community College at Hope, and Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas at Helena.

Admission to the Program. Admission to the Educational Specialist degree program is based on the total profile of the applicants’ educational background and their career objectives. After students have been admitted to the Graduate School, they may seek acceptance in one of the program areas of specialization. All students seeking admission must meet the following admission criteria:

1. Completed a master’s degree or its equivalent in a related field.

2. Presented a Graduate Record Examinations general score on three parts (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) or a Miller Analogies Test score. These scores are considered as part of the applicant’s profile. Required scores may vary within given programs.

3. Attained a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.25 on all graduate course work before being admitted into the Specialist program.

4. Students with a 3.00 to 3.25 cumulative grade-point average in all graduate courses must present a combined minimum Graduate Record Examinations general score of 1300 on three parts (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) or 55 on the Miller Analogies Test.

5. Two years of successful professional experience, or equivalent, in an area related to the student’s academic goals prior to the completion of the degree.

6. A minimum of three letters of recommendation from individuals capable of commenting on qualification for graduate study.

7. A personal interview with the program area graduate faculty. This evaluative process will subjectively measure factors such as poise, professional objectives, professional commitment, and ability to discuss professional problems.

General Requirements. All Ed.S. programs contain a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate work beyond the master’s degree in a planned program. The program for each student must include the requirements specified in the particular program to which the student has been accepted; assessed deficiencies in the area of specialization; assessed courses to meet current professional requirements of the Master of Education degree; a minimum of nine semester hours of graduate work in a related field(s) other than the area of specialization; a graduate course in research, statistics, or data processing applicable for educational specialists; and an original project, research paper, or re-port for which variable credit up to six semester hours is required. A grade-point average of 3.25 is required for the Ed.S. degree program on all work presented as part of the Ed.S. degree program.

After a student is accepted into an Ed.S. program, a committee with a minimum of three members will be appointed, and a program of study will be established outlining the minimum requirements. Only the adviser and one other member of the student’s committee may be from the program area sponsoring the program. The committee’s responsibilities include the determination of deficiencies, the acceptability of previous graduate work, the approval of the candidate’s program of study, the approval of the original project or research paper, and the conduct of a final examination. This examination will be a comprehensive oral evaluation scheduled near the end of the candidate’s program and will include one or both of the following: 1) evaluation of the original project, research paper, or report, and 2) evaluation covering material related to the background and professional preparation of the candidate. A written examination may not be taken to substitute for the oral examination. A written account of the original project, research paper, or report will be filed with the program area sponsoring the candidate’s program of study.

A declaration of intent to pursue the Ed.S. program must be filed with the Dean of the Graduate School by the student immediately following the approval of the program of study. The last 30 hours of the program must be completed within a period of six years from the date of declaration. A minimum of 30 weeks of resident study at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in an approved program is required. Credit earned in any University of Arkansas center, off-campus workshop or special course will not count as residence study in the Ed.S. program. The only exception is course work completed at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Graduate Resident Center by students pursuing the Ed.S. degree in education with a specialization in adult education, educational administration, or vocational education; the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope Graduate Resident Center and Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas at Helena Graduate Resident Center by students pursuing the Ed.S. degree in education with a specialization in educational administration.

Upon completion of all requirements, candidates are issued an Educational Specialist degree. Their names appear on the commencement program, but there is no distinctive academic regalia in connection with the Educational Specialist degree.

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree is designed to prepare the interested student for advanced professional proficiency in a selected field of education and, in addition, to develop the ability for scholarly study of professional problems. The degree is awarded to those persons who, through their planned program, show professional growth and competence.

The Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.) is undifferentiated but has five areas of specialization – adult education, educational administration, higher education, recreation, and vocational education.

Admission to the Program. Admission to the Doctor of Education program is based on the total profile of the applicants’ educational attributes. In evaluating an application for doctoral study leading to the Ed.D. degree, particular attention is given 1) to the apparent congruence between the stated career objective and the proposed field of specialized study, and 2) to the estimated prospects of the success of the applicant both in completing the degree requirements and in fulfilling the professional expectations of the education position to which the applicant aspires if a doctoral degree is earned. Applicants must meet the following admission profile requirements for the Ed.D.:

1. All students seeking admission must have completed a master’s degree or its equivalent in a related field.

2. All students must present a Graduate Record Examinations general score on three parts (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) or a Miller Analogies Test score. These scores are considered part of the applicant’s profile. Required scores may vary within given programs.

3. Students must have attained a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average on all graduate courses prior to being admitted into the Ed.D. program.

4. Students with a 3.00 to 3.50 cumulative grade-point average in all graduate courses must present a combined minimum Graduate Record Examinations general score of 1500 on three parts (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) or 55 on the Miller Analogies Test.

5. All students must have three years of successful professional experience, or equivalent, in an area related to the degree program prior to the completion of the degree.

6. All students must have a minimum of three letters of recommendation from individuals capable of commenting on qualification for graduate study.

Interested applicants must first gain admission to the Graduate School, then be accepted by a program area in education by gaining approval of a majority of the graduate faculty teaching regularly in that program area. This decision is made after the applicant has been interviewed by the program faculty.

Declaration of Intent. Immediately after formal acceptance into the Ed.D. program, students must file with the Dean of the Graduate School a statement of their intention to become a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Education. Courses taken prior to filing the Declaration of Intent cannot be used to satisfy the residence requirement for the Ed.D. degree.

The appointment and responsibility of the Doctoral Advisory Committee for the Doctor of Education degree is the same as that for the Doctor of Philosophy degree (see below).

The degree must be completed within seven consecutive calendar years from the date of the Declaration of Intent.

Residence Requirement. The residence requirement for the Doctor of Education degree may be fulfilled by selecting any one of four plans. This selection must be made in consultation with the adviser, soon after the Declaration of Intent is filed. The plan will specify a number of hours of enrollment and a number of consecutive semesters or terms in which the enrollment must be completed.

Students who also hold University appointments, other than those of Graduate Assistant, for half time or more, should see the residence requirement under the Doctor of Philosophy.

In meeting the doctoral residence requirement, candidates who hold a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas must earn a minimum of 30 semester hours on the Fayetteville campus; candidates who hold a master’s degree from another institution must earn a minimum of 36 semester hours on this campus. Three hours of Doctoral Dissertation may be applied toward this requirement. Doctoral students with regular outside employment responsibilities may not enroll for more than nine semester hours in each semester. Graduate work in an off-campus location, beyond that allowed on the master’s degree and the Educational Specialist degree, will not count toward the minimum of 96 graduate hours required of all Ed.D. candidates.

Program of Study. A minimum of 96 semester hours of graduate study is required for the Ed.D. degree. The program of study shall consist of the major field in education and one or two additional fields of study. The dissertation and program emphasis may be in one of the following areas: adult education, educational administration, recreation, higher education, or vocational education. The nature of the program of study will vary, depending upon the field selected and the candidate’s objective. Candidates for the Ed.D. degree will be required to complete: EDFD 6403, Educational Statistics and Data Processing; EDFD 6623, Techniques of Research in Education, and at least one of the following advanced statistics courses: EDFD 6413, Experimental Design in Education; EDFD 6423, Multiple Regression Techniques for Education; EDFD 6533, Qualitative Research; EDFD 699V(3), Seminar (Survey Research Methods). Each student is required to elect nine hours of work in a field(s) other than the area of specialization. A grade-point average of 3.25 is required on all work presented as part of the Ed.D. degree program and Ph.D. programs in Education fields. Candidates should meet with their faculty adviser for additional requirements.

Other Requirements. The examination for candidacy, dissertation, and final examination requirements for the Doctor of Education degree are the same as those for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Transfer of Credit. Transfer of credit is not acceptable for doctoral degrees. For doctoral candidates, at the discretion of the advisory committee, the program of study may be adjusted in lieu of work taken at other colleges or universities and recognized by the candidate’s committee, but it will not appear on the University of Arkansas academic record.

Programs of advanced study leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) are offered in: animal science, anthropology, biology, business administration, cell and molecular biology, chemistry, comparative literature, computer science, counselor education, crop, soil, and environmental sciences, curriculum & instruction, economics, engineering, educational foundations, English, entomology, environmental dynamics, food science, health sciences, history, kinesiology, mathematics, microelectronics-photonics, philosophy, physics, plant science, poultry science, psychology, public policy, rehabilitation, and space and planetary sciences. (Note: For the Ph.D. in Business Administration and Economics, see the Graduate School of Business.)

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is awarded in recognition of high scholarly attainment as evidenced by a period of successful advanced study with at least a 3.0 cumulative graduate grade-point average (2.85 for those students admitted to the Graduate School prior to Fall 2001), the satisfactory completion of certain prescribed examinations, and the development of a dissertation covering some significant aspect of a major field of learning.

Declaration of Intent. Students who wish to become candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy are expected to complete work equivalent to the requirements for the master’s degree as determined by program faculty and must file a statement of their intention to become doctoral candidates with the Dean of the Graduate School upon registration for their first semester of graduate work beyond the master’s degree or its equivalent. A student cannot satisfy any part of the residence requirement for the doctoral degree until after a Declaration of Intent has been filed with the Dean of the Graduate School.

Immediately after the student has filed a Declaration of Intent and indicated the major field of study (for those programs making use of an advisory committee) a Doctoral Program Advisory Committee will be appointed, with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School, from the graduate faculty to evaluate the student’s preparation and fitness for further graduate work. If the student is allowed to continue as a prospective candidate for the doctoral degree, this committee will serve in an advisory capacity in working out and directing a suitable program of advanced study and investigation. The student’s major adviser shall serve as chair of the committee. Appointment of this committee does not constitute admission to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, a very important and significant step in the student’s graduate career, which must be taken after the student has completed approximately two years of graduate work beyond the baccalaureate degree.

The degree must be completed within seven consecutive calendar years from the date of the Declaration of Intent.

Purpose of the Residence Requirement. Residence requirements are intended to insure that every doctoral student has ample opportunity for the major intellectual development, which can result from a sustained period of intensive study and close association with other scholars in the intellectual environment of the University. The requirement recognizes that growth as an independent scholar is not merely a matter of class attendance but rather involves a broader development of the intellect which comes about through intensive study, independent research, sustained association with faculty members and other colleagues who share common scholarly and professional interests, attendance at seminars and colloquia, intensive reading and familiarization with library resources, consultation with specialists in other disciplines and resource centers, and the opportunity for broadened exposure to current intellectual issues as they are revealed in various campus offerings.

Residence Requirement. After filing a Declaration of Intent to pursue the doctoral degree, a student must fulfill a residence requirement by completing a minimum of two consecutive semesters of full-time graduate study (nine hours or more per semester), either fall-spring, spring-fall, spring-summer or summer-fall (minimum 3 hours of registration in the summer). This period of residence is independent of, and in addition to, that required for any other graduate degree. (Note: Individual degree programs may have different residency requirements.) During this period of residence, the student must be continually involved on a full-time basis with the on-site academic, scholarly, and research activities of the academic department (or corresponding academic unit) in which the degree program is administered.

A student who does not concurrently hold appointment as a Graduate Assistant must satisfactorily complete a minimum of nine semester hours, including dissertation credits but exclusive of courses offered through the Division of Continuing Education, during each semester or summer counted in the residence period. For degree purposes, any graduate credit course offered by the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, via distance education (regardless of class sites) will be counted as residence credit. For students who hold appointments as Graduate Assistants this requirement is six semester hours per semester if the appointment is for 50 percent time and nine semester hours per semester if the appointment is for 25 percent time. A student not on an assistantship who intends to satisfy one semester of the residence period during the summer must satisfactorily complete a minimum of nine semester hours of such work during the summer. For a student holding a concurrent assistantship of 25 percent or 50 percent time in the summer, this requirement is three semester hours per any five- or six-week summer session.

Students who also hold University appointments, other than those of Graduate Assistant, for half time or more will be considered to contribute to the residence requirements only for semesters or 12 weeks in the summer during which all of the following criteria are met: 1) the duties of the appointment primarily involve degree-related academic or scholarly activities such as dissertation research; 2) the departmental chairperson (or corresponding administrator) and the student’s Doctoral Program Advisory Committee certify that the duties of the appointment do not interfere with the appointee’s regular participation as a student, on an essentially full-time daily basis, in the normal on-site academic, scholarly, and research activities of the department and degree program and the associated scholarly demands thereof; 3) the student is enrolled, for each semester or summer session counted in the residence period in at least three semester hours in the summer; and 4) file a plan for approval by the Graduate Dean in advance of satisfying residence requirements.

Program of Study. The objectives of the program of study leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be scholarly achievement of high order and the development of a fundamental understanding of the major field and its relation to supporting fields of knowledge, rather than the satisfactory completion of a certain number of credit hours. The nature of the program of study will vary somewhat, depending upon the major field of study and the objective of the prospective candidate.

Transfer of Credit. Transfer of credit is not acceptable for doctoral degrees. For doctoral candidates, at the discretion of the advisory committee, the program of study may be adjusted in lieu of work taken at other colleges or universities and recognized by the candidate’s committee, but it will not appear on the University of Arkansas academic record.

Grade-Point Average Requirement. A minimum cumulative graduate grade-point average of 3.0 is required to earn a Doctor of Philosophy degree. Note: For students admitted to the Graduate School prior to Fall 2001, the minimum cumulative graduate grade-point average required to earn a Doctor of Philosophy degree was 2.85.

Language Requirement. Foreign language requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree vary from department to department. For specific details see departmental statements. These requirements should be completed early in the doctoral program.

Examination for Candidacy. After completing approximately two years of graduate study, the prospective candidate must take candidacy examinations in specified fields of study in accordance with the requirements of the department in which the candidate is working. These examinations may be either written or written and oral. Upon satisfactorily completing these examinations, the student may be admitted to candidacy and may proceed to work toward completion of the remaining requirements for the degree. Note: The Graduate School considers the Advisory Committee to be responsible for administering and evaluating the candidacy examinations, but degree programs may have different structures.

Registration. All doctoral students who have been admitted to candidacy must enroll in a minimum of one hour of dissertation credit every semester (fall, spring, summer) until they graduate. Under unusual circumstances, this enrollment requirement may be waived for post-candidacy doctoral students for up to two years, with an approved request for a leave of absence. See the Graduate School Registration and Leave of Absence Policy on page 35.

Dissertation. Each candidate must complete a doctoral dissertation on some topic in the major field. The topic assignment shall be made and a title filed with the Dean of the Graduate School at least one year before the final examination, the specific problem and subject of the dissertation to be determined by the major adviser, the candidate, and the advisory committee. The completed dissertation must be a definite, scholarly contribution to the major field. This contribution may be in the form of new knowledge of fundamental importance, or of modification, amplification, and interpretation of existing significant knowledge.

Each doctoral candidate must register for a minimum of 18 hours of doctoral dissertation. After the student has passed the candidacy examinations, the student must register for at least one hour of dissertation each semester and one hour during the summer session until the work is completed, whether the student is in residence or away from the campus. For each semester in which a student fails to register without prior approval of the Dean of the Graduate School, a registration of three hours will be required before the degree is granted.

Three typewritten copies of the completed dissertation in the prescribed form must be presented to the candidate’s advisory committee for approval at least six weeks before the degree is to be conferred. After approval by the committee and the Dean of the Graduate School, two copies must be deposited in the Mullins Library at least two weeks before the degree is to be conferred, together with two copies of an abstract, of not more than 350 words, approved by the major adviser as suitable for publication. The third copy of the dissertation shall be presented to the candidate’s major department.

Final Examination. The candidate’s final examination for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy will be oral. The major adviser will forward to the Dean of the Graduate School, not less than ten  days before the date of the final oral examination, an abstract of the dissertation accompanied by a memorandum announcing the date, time, and place of the oral examination. The examination will be primarily concerned with the field of the dissertation, but may also include other aspects of the candidate’s graduate work. The doctoral dissertation committee is responsible for insuring that the dissertation contributes new knowledge of fundamental importance or significantly modifies, amplifies, or interprets existing knowledge in a new and important manner. All members of the dissertation committee must participate in the final oral defense of the dissertation unless the Dean of the Graduate School has approved an exception. While this examination is open to the public, the exam is controlled by the student’s committee chair. Questions from the public are at the discretion of the committee chair. If the committee chair expects to allow questions from the public, the student must be so advised. The chair will insure that questions from the public are appropriate by disallowing those which are not.

Split Decisions Among Advisory and Dissertation Committees. In the situation when there is a split decision among committee members of a doctoral program advisory or dissertation committee, the situation must be resolved to the satisfaction of each committee member. In the event that each committee member is not satisfied, the committee member may insist on the necessary steps to reach a resolution or elect to step down from the committee. In unusual circumstances, the Dean of the Graduate School may remove a faculty member from a student’s thesis/dissertation or advisory committee, or make an alternative arrangement (e.g., assign a representative from the Graduate faculty to serve on the committee).