Academic Information - Alvernia University (2024)

The University reserves the right to change its admission, registration, graduation, or financial requirements as necessary. Every effort will be made to provide advanced information regarding such changes. Attendance at Alvernia is a privilege, not a right. By registering, the student concedes to the University the right to require his or her withdrawal. Request for withdrawal can be made at any time it is deemed necessary to safeguard the ideals of character and scholarship and to secure compliance with regulations.

Alvernia Honor Code

Alvernia University’s mission includes developing ethical leaders with moral courage. To uphold that mission, members of the Alvernia community promise to act in ways that are honest and principled and bring honor to the university.

Alvernia’s Honor Code:As members of the Alvernia community,we commit to uphold the highest academic standards, based on honesty,trust,fairness,respect, andresponsibility. We promise to act with moral courage regarding our behavior and those we observe.

Breaches of honesty include but are not limited to:

• copying another student’s work
• submitting work that you did not do yourself,
• plagiarizing any part of the published (online or in print) work of another,
• submitting a paper from another course in lieu of doing a new assignment,
• facilitating the dishonesty of another student,
• cheating on an examination
• Use of ChatGPT or other generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) without explicit permission from the instructor

Those who witness breaches of the Honor Code have an ethical responsibility to report such misconduct to the appropriate professor or supervisor.

Unauthorized use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), or failure to disclose when or how AI has been used when authorization is given, is a violation of the Honor Code. Students may only use AI generative writing, artistic, or translating tools (such as but not limited to ChatGPT or Bard) when and as specified by the instructor. If and when such AI use is permitted, students must follow all guidelines established by the professor regarding acknowledging or referencing such use. Under the Honor Code, students must give proper credit whenever such AI is used. Use of AI to answer questions on exams is prohibited unless the question specifies that you are to use it. If unauthorized use of AI is suspected, the professor may implement reasonable supplemental or replacement measures to evaluate student knowledge or understanding of the topic, and the professor can use the results of such measures to re-evaluate the grade and to support reporting the student for an Honor Code violation.

Plagiarism

Procedures for reporting alleged plagiarism are closely adhered to, according to university policy and procedure. Plagiarism is the failure to cite a source, deliberately or accidentally presenting as your own work words or ideas of another (Harbrace Handbook). This includes but is not limited to:

1. Copying, paraphrasing, or summarizing from any published or unpublished source without citing.
2. Copying a paper, parts of a paper, or submitting any work that is not your own.
3. Submitting as one’s own, parts or a whole, another’s computer program, work of art, or musical composition.

Using words of others without quotation marks enclosing those words.

Effective Catalog

Graduate students are subject to the course requirements contained in the catalog that is in effect when they are accepted by Alvernia University. Students may request to follow the course requirements in the most recent catalog. Students who interrupt their schooling for more than one calendar year must reapply to the University and are subject to the requirements in the most recent catalog. Students should review theRe-entry Admissions Process in theGraduate Program Academic Policiessection of this catalog.

Academic Calendar

The current Academic Calendar is available via the University website: http://www.alvernia.edu/. This key resource should be consulted for important dates and deadlines.

Course Schedule

The University reserves the right to revise schedules in response to changes in student interest, enrollment demand, and faculty availability. The University also reserves the right to cancel any scheduled course for which there is insufficient enrollment. The current schedule may be found on the University’s website via Self-Service.

Credit Hour Policy

Alvernia University has adopted the traditional Carnegie Unit as a measure of the academic experience associated with a “credit hour.” The Registrar’s Office uses this policy to help schedule didactic and lab courses each semester.

In most cases, credit hour equivalency for each course is determined according to the number of hours a class meets for the duration of a course regardless of course delivery time period. For all course delivery time periods (semester, mod, summer, etc.) a credit hour is equivalent to a minimum of one of the following:

• 700 minutes of direct instruction (based on a 50-minute clock-hour) and 1800 minutes of out-of-class student work (based on a 60 minute clock-hour) (See PA Code definitions below);
• 2700 minutes of internship or clinical experience, unless greater if required by a program’s accrediting body; or
• a combination of the foregoing.

Some courses may require additional minutes per credit received. These requirements are discipline specific and relate to requirements for national certification or internships. These occur in graduate nursing, engineering, other health care-focused programs, and others as designated by the Provost Office.

Alvernia complies with the following laws and regulations from the U.S. Department of Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education, and Middle States Commission on Higher Education in defining credit hours Credit Hour.

Enrollment

To enroll in courses, all students must complete the registration process. No student can register for another student or allow another person outside of the University to register on the student’s behalf. Graduate and Adult Educationstaff registerstudents for their first semester classes and may continue toassist afterwards if the studentcompletes a registration form located in myAlverniaand on the Registrar’s Office web page. If a student registers during advance registration and then decides not to return to the University, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Graduate and Adult Education Office in writing prior to the beginning of classes to avoid charges. Registration dates can be found on the Academic Calendar. Information regarding tuition and course offerings is available from the Graduate Office.

Program Delivery Format

Visit Course and Program Delivery Format.

Minimum Technology Requirements

VisitCurrent Technology Requirements.

Credits/Overloads

The maximum number of credits for each program is set by such program. Overloads require the approval of the advisor. Students are officially registered when tuition and charges for the semester have been paid or arrangements for payment have been made with the Student Billing Office.

Registration Changes

Each of the following constitutes a registration change: adding or dropping a course or changing a course section; withdrawing from a course after the add/drop period; or auditing a course. Schedule Change Forms are obtained from the Graduate and Adult Education Office, via myAlvernia, or on the Registrar’s Office web page,and must be filed with the respective office to complete the process.

• Add/Drop Period: The deadlines for the add/drop period are located on the academic calendar. Requests to add/drop must be received by Graduate and Adult Education staff or the Registrar’s Office staff by 11:59PM on the date listed on the academic calendar. Saturday courses must be dropped prior to the second class meeting, however the course cannot be added after the completion of the first class. Students without holds on their accounts wishing to drop a course may do so by dropping via Self-Service or by completing the proper paperwork. Students with holds on their accounts must contact Student Financial Services and work in conjunction with them to complete this process.
• Withdrawal without an “F”: After the add/drop period has ended, a student may withdrawal from their course. Withdrawal dates may be located on the academic calendar. Withdrawal from Saturday classes must be done prior to the third class meeting. Students wishing to withdrawal may do so by completing proper paperwork in the School of Graduate & Adult Education office. Please Note: Students withdrawing from a course will still be held financially responsible for all costs and fees.
• Auditing: A student wishing to audit a course must submit a written request to the Graduate and Adult Education Office. This request must include the signature of the student’s academic adviser. After the first week of classes, no reimbursem*nt will be made when changing from credit to audit. The deadline for either request is the first week of instruction of the current semester. Students are not tested when auditing a course and no credit is earned.

Change of Major

A student may change their graduatemajor in the same academic department by obtaining written approval bythe department chairperson or program director. Students can find the GraduateChange of Major-Minor Formon myAlvernia. The department chairperson or program director assigns the student to an academic advisor. If a student wishes to change graduate majors outside of their admitted academic department, the student is required to apply for admission to the new program of interest.

Repeat/Delete Option

The repeat/delete option may be used when students have a grade of less than ‘C’ or have failed to meet the minimum grade required by a specific program. When a course is repeated for credit, the earlier grade remains on the student’s permanent record and appears on all transcripts. The higher grade is used in computing the cumulative grade point average. The repeat/delete option may only be used in cases where both the original and repeated courses were earned at Alvernia; neither may be by correspondence or by study at another institution. Students may be required to use the repeat/delete option to fulfill the specific requirements found in the catalog descriptions for some programs. The repeat/ delete option can only be utilized twice during the graduate program. Specific programs may have additional policies in regard to this option.

Transfer of Credit

Students who have been accepted into any Alvernia University Master’s program may transfer a maximum of two graduate courses (six graduate credits). Transfer courses must be from an accredited university or college and the student must have earned a minimum grade of ‘B’ to receive transfer credit. The courses must be equivalent to appropriate courses in the graduate program at Alvernia University. Transferred credits do not count towards the cumulative grade point average at Alvernia University.

An official transcript indicating the grade received and a complete course description or syllabus must be forwarded to the Graduate Admissions Advisor. After all the required information has been forwarded, transfer credits are reviewed and approved by the relevant Program Coordinator.

Students who have completed doctoral study in other programs may transfer a maximum of 18 credits into the Alvernia University Doctor of Philosophy program. Transfer of Credit policies apply. Transfer courses can only be applied to the elective course requirements. Official transcripts should be submitted to the Ph.D. Program Director. Course descriptions and/or syllabi may be required.

Life Experience Credit

The University does not award graduate level course credit or academic forgiveness based on life experience.

Semester Grades

Final grades are posted for students to view in Self-Service. Students are responsibleforidentifying grade errors. Canvas is not the official student record, anddoes not necessarily represent the final grade earned. Any grade correction must be made by the instructor via the Grade Change Formand filed withthe Registrar’s Office. The deadline for corrections is 21 calendar days after the grade is issued (except in cases of a grade grievance or in the case of an approved Incomplete). After that time, no changes will be made on the student’s record.

Transcripts

Transcripts can be ordered through National Student Clearinghouse where students and alumni have the option of requesting it to be sent electronically or by mail. Transcripts requested to be mailed will be processed within 5 business days.

Current students, former students, and alumni who attended after 2003may view and print their unofficial transcripts from their Self-Service account.

Incomplete Grade

A student may request an incomplete grade for a course by completing an Incomplete Grade Agreement with the course instructor. The Incomplete Grade Agreement can be found onmyAlvernia.An Incomplete will be assigned only if there are extenuating circ*mstances preventing the student from completing all course requirements. The completed form must be returned to the Registrar’s Office by the end of the course’sfinal exam period to have the incomplete posted.

The student must complete and submit the assignments listed on the form to the instructor within four weeks of the exam period for a semester course, and within three weeks of the final exam for a MOD course.Incomplete grades that have not been changed by the instructor at the end of this four-week or three-week period will automatically be changed to an “F.” In extreme circ*mstances, the instructor may file a request for an extension with the Registrar.

Student Appeals

Graduate education places a value on academic performance and generally places a limitation on the number of grades below “B” acquired by a student during their graduate experience. As a result of academic performance, graduate students may find themselves in a position to appeal a particular grade given in a particular course, a decision to dismiss them from their chosen academic program, and/or a decision to dismiss them from the University. Recommended disposition from faculty and/or academic advisors is required for appeals related to dismissal from an academic program or dismissal from the University. The student must submit an appeal in writing and responses to the student will be in writing.

Graduate Academic Grievance Procedures

The Graduate Student Grievance Committee attends to grievances of an academic nature. This Committee is comprised of all the Graduate Program Coordinators/Directors and a Graduate student representative appointed by the Graduate Academic Council. The Chair of the Committee is elected from the members at the start of each academic year and serves as Chair for the duration of that year, including summer months. Members can serve two (2) consecutive terms as Chair. Business days are defined as Monday through Friday, excluding holidays when the University is closed.

The process for appeal of a course grade is as follows:

1. The student discusses situation /grade with the course instructor within 20 business days from issuance of the grade.
2. If no accord is reached or if the student provides evidence that s/he has contacted the instructor via Alvernia email at least twice without response, the student has seven (7) business days from the issuance of the grade to submit an appeal to the Graduate Program Coordinator/Director of the appropriate graduate program.
3. A meeting between the student and the Graduate Program Coordinator/Director must be held within seven (7) business days of receipt of the student’s written appeal. The Coordinator/Director must provide written notification to the student of the decision within seven (7) business days of that meeting.
4. The student may appeal the decision of the Graduate Program Coordinator/ Director to the Department Chair; or, if the Program does not have a Department Chair, to the respective College Dean (College of Arts & Sciences or College of Professional Programs). The student has seven (7) business days to submit this appeal.
5. A meeting between the student and the Department Chair or College Dean must be held within seven (7) business days of receipt of the student’s written appeal. The Department Chair or College Dean must notify the student of their decision within seven (7) business days of that meeting. The decision of the Department Chair or College Dean is final as to a course grade.
6. The student may appeal the decision of the Department Chair or College Dean to the Graduate Student Grievance Committee. The student has seven (7) business days to submit this appeal.
7. The Graduate Student Grievance Committee may independently request separate documentation from the student and the course instructor(s) outlining their perspectives on the events leading to the appeal within seven (7) business days of the grievance notification. If the grievance pertains to academic dismissal from a program or from the University, the student’s Academic Advisor will also be asked to submit a letter indicating their disposition recommendation. The Graduate Student Grievance Committee reserves the right to request further information/documentation or to meet with the student or course instructor as required to thoroughly review the appeal/ student issue.
8. The Graduate Student Grievance Committee issues a written recommendation of a resolution to the Dean of the School of Graduate and Adult Education within seven (7) business days. The Dean reviews the decision and notifies the student of the decision in writing within seven (7) business days. The Committee maintains a complete file of the grievance and Committee proceedings.

The process for appeal of dismissal from an academic program is as follows:

1. The Program Coordinator/Director verifies that the student has met the criteria for dismissal from the specific academic program and notifies the student in writing via electronic mail with ‘return receipt requested’ and followed by certified land mail.
2. The student may appeal the decision to the Department Chair or the respective College Dean. This appeal must be filed within seven (7) business days of receipt of the dismissal notification.
3. The Department Chair or College Dean must meet with the student within seven (7) business days of receipt of the written appeal. The student is notified of the decision within seven (7) business days of that meeting.
4. The student may appeal the decision to the Dean of the School of Graduate and Adult Education within seven (7) business days of receipt of the Department Chair/College Dean decision. The School Dean must meet with the student within seven (7) business days of receipt of the appeal.
5. The School Dean notifies the student of the decision regarding the dismissal appeal within seven (7) business days of the meeting with the student.
6. The student can appeal the decision to the Graduate Student Grievance Committee within seven (7) business days of the School Dean notification. The Graduate student Grievance Committee will review the appeal and submit a final decision regarding dismissal within seven (7) business days of receiving the appeal from the student.
7. The Graduate Student Grievance Committee may independently request separate documentation from the student and the course instructor(s) involved, outlining their perspectives on the events leading to the dismissal within seven (7) business days of the grievance notification. The student’s Academic Advisor will also be asked to submit a letter indicating their disposition recommendation. The Graduate Student Grievance Committee reserves the right to request further information/documentation or to meet with the student or course instructor(s) as required to thoroughly review the appeal/student issue.
8. The Graduate Student Grievance Committee issues a written decision recommendation with 30 business days of receipt of the appeal and forwards it to the Dean of the School of Graduate and Adult Education. The School Dean reviews the decision and notifies the student and the Provost of the decision in writing within seven (7) business days. The Committee maintains a complete file of the grievance and Committee proceedings.
9. The Provost issues a final determination on the appeal within seven (7) business days.

Dismissal from the University

Students who meet the criteria for dismissal from the University will receive an initial letter of dismissal from the Provost’s Office, sent via electronic mail with ‘return receipt requested’ and followed by certified land mail. Students may appeal this decision to the Graduate Student Grievance Committee within seven (7) days from receipt of the dismissal letter. The Committee will forward its decision to the Chair of the Graduate Academic Council within seven (7) business days. The Chair of GAC will notify the student of the final dismissal decision within seven (7) business days.