The Graduate School

Click on any of the following links for information:

• General Information
• Graduate Programs of Study
• Graduate Admission
• Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures
  
• Graduate Academic Requirements
• Graduate Student Appeals

Graduate School Admin                                                                Graduate Recruitment Retention Coordinator
Main Hall 304                                                                                   Main Hall 310
Phone: (719) 255-3417   Fax: (719) 255-3045                           Phone (719) 255-3072     Fax: (719) 255-3045
www.uccs.edu/gradschl                                                                  gradschl@uccs.edu
 

The Graduate School provides oversight and coordination for all graduate programs on the campus. The individual departments within the specific colleges provide the curriculum, faculty, and program advisors for the degrees offered.

For further information, contact the specific department within its college or contact the Graduate School at the above address for information about the program, or submitting an application.

Mission

The mission of the Graduate School is as follows:

• To promote excellence in graduate education
• To facilitate and enhance the educational experience and opportunities for graduate students
• To oversee and coordinate all graduate programs
• To ensure compatibility among programs and compliance with Graduate School Policies.

Vision

The Graduate School vision is to maintain high standards and quality programs, and to develop and administer graduate programs in accord with general standards of excellence and sound academic administration.

The Programs at the graduate level that are available for completion through the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs are listed on the Programs of Study  table of the catalog.

A student who is granted admission must reflect, in a moral and ethical sense, a personal background acceptable to the University. The University reserves the right to deny admission to applicants, or to cancel the enrolled status of current students, whose total credentials reflect an inability to assume those obligations of performance and behavior deemed essential by the University and relevant to any of its lawful missions, processes, and functions as an educational institution.

Students may be admitted to the Graduate School in any of the five categories—regular, provisional, guaranteed early, fast-track, and re-admission.

Admission Prerequisites

An applicant for admission as a regular degree seeking student must meet the following minimum requirements. Some programs may have additional requirements for regular admission, that are higher then the below  minimum admission requirements. Qualified students are recommended for admission to regular degree status by the appropriate program department. Minimum Admission requirements below:

• Hold a baccalaureate degree or a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university, or demonstrate completion of work equivalent to the baccalaureate or Masters degree.
• Have an undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 or better in a 4.0 system OR
• Have a combined undergraduate grade point average and score on a national standardized admissions test that meet criteria determined by the program OR
• Have completed 15 semester hours of relevant graduate course work at an accredited university with a grade point average of 3.0 or better. (Note that units completed before admission may not all be transferable into a graduate degree program).
• Have adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen program, and meet the requirements for admission, as determined by the program faculty.

For students who do not meet the above criteria, program faculty may assign course work and/or examinations that must be taken in order to make up deficiencies.

Application Procedures

Regular Admission Application Process

Application Materials

Complete Applications for Admission to an advanced degree program should be sent directly to the appropriate department or program of interest. 

• Contact the program of interest before starting the application process to learn of application deadlines, admission examinations (GRE), and other specific requirements; Graduate School Web Site: www.uccs.edu/~gradschl.
• Complete the online or paper application for the semester (term) of interest (including the Residency Form).
• Two official transcripts of all academic work completed to date, sent directly from the academic institutions attended to your program of interest.
• A nonrefundable application processing fee (payable online and by check).
• Test scores, letters of recommendation, and other materials as required by specific programs
• For international applicants, a score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or an equivalent if the program/department/school agrees to use an alternative language program (i.e., ELS or LCI), and proof of financial support as well as all credentials presented for admission become the property of the University of Colorado. For more information contact the department/program for more specific information or the International Student Services office at www.uccs.edu/~iss.

Deadlines

Although students may apply at any time, application material must be received by March 1 for maximum consideration for financial support starting in the fall semester. Applicants should check with their program of interest to insure what semesters applications are being accepted. Some programs may only admit once a year. 

Complete applications (including all supporting documentation) submitted to the program/department office of interest at least 60 days prior to the term for which admission is sought are normally assured full consideration for admission. See specific programs/departments, and college/school for specific admission deadlines.
deadlines for more specific deadlines.

International students please contact your program/department of interest for complete applications instructions and specific deadlines. All foreign students interested in graduate admission must begin the process with the International Student Services, www.uccs.edu/~iss, which is located in the Office of Admissions and Records.

Graduate Admission Examinations

Graduate programs may require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Applicants must check specific program/departmental testing requirements. Information regarding the tests, dates scheduled, and procedures for enrolling is available on each individual test’s website.

Provisional Admission

Any applicant who does not meet the criteria for admission as a regular degree student may be recommended by the faculty for admission as a provisional student. The recommendation must include a statement of the conditions that the student must meet in order to become a regular degree student. When the conditions for regular status are met, the program director has the responsibility to reclassify the student to regular status before or at least one semester prior to the graduation and inform the student in writing. Provisional students are subject to the same standards of performance required of regular degree students, in addition to other requirements as specified by the program faculty imposed as conditions of the provisional admission status.

Guaranteed Early Admission

The special Guaranteed-Admission option is available to UCCS students who are currently enrolled in their final semester of undergraduate study (international students on a J-1 visa are not eligible). This option may also be exercised by UCCS undergraduate alumni within one year after their graduation. Students must contact the graduate program of interest to determine requirements. Please note that Guaranteed Early Admission is not available for students applying to the following colleges/schools/programs: College of Education; College of Nursing (MSN); School of Business (MBA); School of Public Affairs (MCJ) & (MPA); Applied Geography (MA); MSc in Biology; Psychology (MA & PhD); this also includes all current PhD programs. The application process (paper based application only) and fee for Guaranteed Early Admission can be obtained from the Graduate School Web site www.uccs.edu/~gradschl/app.

Fast-Track Admission

The special Fast-Track-admission process option is available to any UCCS undergraduate alumnus within the first four years after their graduation (international students are not eligible). This is not a guaranteed admission option; however, it is an expedited admission process. Please note that Fast-Track Admission is not available for students applying to the following colleges/schools and programs: College of Education; College of Nursing (MSN); School of Business (MBA); School of Public Affairs (MCJ & (MPA); Psychology (MA & PhD); this also includes all current PhD programs.The application process (paper based application only) and fee for Fast-Track Admission can be obtained from the Graduate School Web site www.uccs.edu/~gradschl/app.

Readmission of Former Students

A student previously admitted to a graduate program that did not complete the degree and has not been continuously registered at the University but now wishes to return must do the following:

• Clarify status with the program to determine eligibility to return and pursue the same degree
• After receiving program approval to continue work on the degree, submit a new Part I of the application to the program office before deadlines have passed for the term of expected return

A former graduate student will not be charged an application fee unless any course work to be applied to the degree was taken more than six years prior to the student’s return. A student applying to a doctoral program from a Masters program in the same department, with no break in attendance, will not be charged an application fee. A dismissed student is eligible to reapply for readmission after one year. Approval or rejection of this application rests with the student’s Major department. Former students who wish to change from one major to another should consult with their department chairperson and complete the appropriate forms.

Unclassified Students

A student holding a baccalaureate degree that wishes to take graduate courses but does not wish to earn an advanced degree from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs should apply to the Office of Admissions and Records for admission as an unclassified student. (See the Unclassified Student section in Admissions ).

Notification of Acceptance

The program may send an unofficial acceptance letter to the applicant weeks before the Official letter is sent from the Office of Admissions and Records. The letter from the program is not considered to be the official letter of admittance, only a recommendation by the program/department.

After the Office of Admissions and Records has received all the approved program/departmental recommendations, forms and all required credentials, as per the Graduate School Policies and Procedures, the applicant will be notified regarding eligibility for admission. If eligible, the applicant will receive an Official Letter of Acceptance from the Office of Admissions and Records.

Please contact your program of interest for the status of your application.

Application for Admission to Candidacy

The Application for Admission to Candidacy for an advanced degree should be completed during the first five weeks of the semester of the semester in which the student intends to graduate. This application will certify that all requirements for the degree have been met, or are in progress. For further instructions the student should contact the program/department directly for requirements for the degree sought. If research involves human, animal, and biohazard subjects the appropriate committee approval must be sought, please consult the Office of Sponsored Programs before starting research www.uccs.edu~osp

The official Policy and Procedures of the Graduate School are available in the office of the Graduate School, and the UCCS Graduate School web site: www.uccs.edu/~gradschl/policies.html , as well as in each graduate program office.

Transfer Courses

Work already applied toward a completed Masters degree received at another institution cannot be accepted for transfer toward the Masters degree at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs; extension work completed at another institution cannot be transferred; and correspondence work, except to make up deficiencies, is not recognized. Transfer credits may be applied to a graduate degree only with the approval of the program director. Each program will establish, with the concurrence of the Graduate School Executive Committee, the maximum number of semester hours (9 semester credit hours) that may be transferred from another accredited institution and applied toward its graduate degree without special approval of the Graduate Dean. The following minimum provisions will apply:

• All transfer courses must have a grade of B or above.
• Some programs may require that credit will not be accepted for transfer until the student has established a satisfactory academic record at this university.
• For Masters degree students, all work accepted for transfer must have been completed within the six-year time limit or be validated and approved by program faculty.
• Courses applied towards one Masters degree may not be used towards another Master’s degree.
• Requests for transfer of credit must be made on the specified form for this purpose. Official transcripts of credit must accompany requests.
• Masters degree students must submit transfer requests to the program director by the beginning of the semester prior to the semester in which they will graduate.
• Doctoral degree students must submit transfer requests to the Graduate School before making application for admission to candidacy.

Courses Taken During Senior Year

Seniors at UCCS may transfer up to nine semester hours of course work, provided it meets the following requirements:

• Completed with a grade of B or above in the senior year at this University
• Comes within the time limit for the completion of the graduate degree
• Has not been applied toward another bachelor’s degree
• Is approved by the program director
• Completion of the same graduate and undergraduate is not allowed
• Retroactive changing of undergraduate credit to graduate credit is not allowed

Undergraduate credits from another institution may not be transferred into any graduate program in the Graduate School.

Undergraduate Courses

No lower division course or undergraduate courses designed to improve basic skills may be used as credit towards a graduate degree. A program may require a student to take undergraduate courses as a means of making up deficiencies, but the credits generated in these courses may not be counted in the minimum number required for the degree.

Courses Taken While in Unclassified Status

Credits earned as an unclassified student at UCCS may be applied to a graduate degree only with the approval of the program director. Each program will establish, with the concurrence of the Graduate School Executive Committee, the maximum number of semester hours (may not exceed 12) taken in unclassified status that may be applied toward its graduate degree without special approval of the Graduate Dean. Course work in progress during the semester in which formal admission is granted does not apply to this unclassified total.

Extended Studies Courses

Students may use the resources of the Division of Extended Studies in the pursuit of graduate study only if they obtain proper academic approval from the program director. For more information visit the Campus Wide Extended Studies website: www.uccs.edu/~extendedstudies.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Graduate certificate programs require the student to meet the minimum graduate school admission requirements and any additional program requirements. Refer to the appropriate program/department and college/school for specific admission requirements to a certificate program. Visit the Graduate School website for a list of Certificates: www.uccs.edu/~gradschl/certificates.html or Campus Wide Extended Studies: www.uccs.edu/~extendedstudies.

Graduate Courses

A graduate level course is any course that bears the graduate number appropriate to the discipline (i.e., 5000 - 9000) and is taught by a member of the graduate faculty.

Independent Study

Independent study credit hours must not exceed 25% of the minimum number required for the degree.

GPA and Satisfactory Academic Progress

A graduate student is expected to maintain at least a (B) 3.0 cumulative average in all work attempted in Graduate School. Students who fail to maintain this standard of performance will be subject to probation or dismissal from the Graduate School by the Dean, with the approval of the major department. Appeals may be made to the campus Graduate Executive Committee, whose decision is final. A student who receives a grade below B- in a course may repeat that course once, upon approval of the program director, provided the course has not been previously applied toward a degree. The grade received in a repeated course will substitute for the original grade and only the latter grade will be used in calculating the Graduate Program grade point average required for graduation. However, all grades received will appear on the student’s transcript. Work receiving a grade of less than B- may not be counted toward any graduate degree.

Incomplete and In Progress Grades

Incomplete grades of “I” will convert to “F” if the work is not completed within the one-year maximum period (no extensions are approved beyond the one-year time limit) according to University Policy.

An in-progress “IP” grade is given only to those graduate students who are in a thesis, dissertation defense, or capstone. The grade of IP will be a valid grade and must remain unchanged until the thesis, dissertation, or capstone has been completed.

Registration

New degree or unclassified students are notified of eligibility to register for course work through the Statement of Eligibility for Admission mailed from the Admissions and Records Office. If this notice has not been received in time for registration, an inquiry should be made to Admissions and Records. Degree and unclassified students who do not stay continuously enrolled (having missed three consecutive semesters) must check with Admissions and Records 60 days before the next intended registration period to make sure of eligibility to register during regular registration. Former students should follow the same procedure. Degree students changing departments or graduate degree programs should begin the change process with the new department.

Limitation of Registration

Full Load

Graduate students will be considered to be carrying a full load during a regular semester for purposes of determining residence credit if they are registered for not fewer than 5 semester hours in courses numbered 5000 or above, or any number of thesis hours. A full load for purposes of determining residence credit during the summer session is 3 semester hours of work in courses numbered 0500, 5000 or above, or any number of thesis hours.

Maximum Load

No graduate student may receive graduate credit toward a degree for more than 15 hours in a regular semester. The maximum number of graduate credits that may be applied toward a degree during a summer session is 6 hours per 4-week term and 9 hours per 8-week summer session.

Regulatory Compliance

The student, in consultation with his or her advisor, is responsible for obtaining and documenting appropriate institutional committee approval for research involving human subjects, animals and/or bio- hazards. This approval must be received prior to the student undertaking their research.

Student Ethics

Students are expected to adhere to the highest codes of personal and professional ethics, as set forth by the Honor Code of UCCS, which appears each semester in the Schedule of Courses. Students who do not meet these standards may be dismissed from the Graduate School by the Graduate Dean upon recommendation of the director of the student’s graduate program. A student may appeal such action under the provisions described below.

Academic requirements for Masters degrees and Doctoral degrees are detailed below; these are minimum requirements. Individual programs may adopt additional requirements. 

Masters Degree Minimum Degree Requirements

The minimum requirements of graduate work for Masters degree may be fulfilled by following either Plan I or Plan II below.

Plan I (thesis)

• 30 semester hours, including 6 hours of thesis credit
• At least 24 semester hours must be at the graduate level
• File application for admission to candidacy for degree

Plan II (non thesis)

• 30 semester hours
• At least 24 semester hours must be at the graduate level (Some interdisciplinary programs may require fewer graduate level units.)
• File application for admission to candidacy for degree

A candidate for the Masters degree may be allowed to select Plan I or Plan II only upon the recommendation of the department.  Some graduate programs criteria vary from the options listed above. Students should consult their graduate program for more information if completing Plan I (thesis). Please see the UCCS Thesis and Dissertation Manual on the Graduate School website,  www.uccs.edu/~gradschl, for complete guidelines. For Thesis/Dissertation Committee and requirements consult the program director for specific criteria.

Comprehensive Examination - See Specific Department Program Guidelines

Masters Degree Examinations

Most Masters degree programs require a Thesis Defense, Project, Report, or Comprehensive Exam, after all other requirements for the degree have been substantially completed. Students must be registered for Candidate for Degree the semester in which the Thesis Defense, Project, Report, or Comprehensive Exam  is held. 

Admission to Candidacy—Masters Degree

A student pursing a Masters degree, who wishes to become a candidate for a degree must file an Application for Admission to Candidacy to their major department/program during the first five weeks of the semester of intended graduation. The department/program will then file the Admission to Candidacy with the Office of the Graduate Dean. This will certify that all requirements for the degree have been met or are in progress. Admission to candidacy will be granted only to students who have completed a significant fraction of the required course work, and have passed the comprehensive examination and language requirement (if any). See “Schedule of Deadlines” posted on the Graduate School website: www.uccs.edu/~gradschl/current.html.

Time Limits—Masters Degree

Although students are normally expected to complete a Masters degree in one to three years, Masters degree students have six years from the date of the start of course work to complete all degree requirements (which includes filing the thesis with the Kraemer Family Library if Plan I is followed). A student who fails to complete the degree in this six-year period must file a petition for extension with the program director and have it approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. The petition must state the reasons why the student should be allowed to continue in the program and should be endorsed by program director. The program director must approve applying any course to the degree that was taken more than six years prior to the semester of graduation, and all such courses must be validated by special examination to be determined by the program director.

Doctoral Degree Minimum Requirements

General Requirements (Check with Program of Interest)

• 75 semester hours of graduate level credit, including 30 units of dissertation credit.
• Each doctoral program shall determine how many credits from an earned Masters degree may be included in this total.
• File application for admission to candidacy for degree.

Doctoral Dissertation, Advisory Committee, Doctoral Degree Examinations, Specialty Examination, Dissertation Defense

Please see the UCCS Thesis and Dissertation Manual on the Graduate School website, www.uccs.edu/~gradschl, for Complete Dissertation Requirements, Dissertation Committee, and Dissertation Defense.

Preliminary Examination - See Department Guidelines

Comprehensive Examination - See Department Guidelines

An examination in the field of concentration and related fields. This examination may be written or oral or both, and will test the student’s mastery of a broad field of knowledge, not merely the formal course work which has been completed. The comprehensive examination shall be conducted by an examining board of at least three members appointed by the program director.

Dissertation Proposal Examination - See Department Program Guidelines

Used to determine the preparedness of the student and the appropriateness of the topic, prior to commencing work on the dissertation.

Doctoral Dissertation Credit Hour Requirements

A doctoral student may take no more than one half of the total number of dissertation credit hours required for the degree prior to or during the semester in which the comprehensive examination is passed.

Following successful completion of the doctoral comprehensive examination, a student must register each fall and spring semester for 5 to 10 dissertation credits, until the requirements for the degree are completed. A student may register for no more than 10 dissertation credit hours in any semester, and for no more than 7 credit hours during a summer semester. If, following the completion of the doctoral comprehensive examination, there is a semester during which a student will be using no university resources, the student may petition to register for a minimum of 1 unit of dissertation credit. Such a request must be approved by the program director. A student must be registered for at least 5 dissertation credits during the semester (or summer session) in which the dissertation defense is held.

Admission to Candidacy—Doctoral Degree

A doctoral student who wishes to become a candidate for a degree must file an Application for Admission to Candidacy to their intended major department/program during the first five weeks of the semester of intended graduation. The department/program will then file the Admission to Candidacy with the Office of the Graduate Dean. This will certify that all requirements for the degree have been met or are in progress. Admission to candidacy will be granted only to students who have completed a significant fraction of the required course work and have passed the comprehensive examination and language requirement (if any). See “Schedule of Deadlines” posted on the Graduate School website: www.uccs.edu/~gradschl/current.html.

Clinical Doctorate

Students pursuing clinical doctoral degrees are required to complete a Capstone Proposal (an examination to determine the preparedness of the student and the appropriateness of the topic), prior to commencing work on the Capstone Project. Once completed, the Capstone Project is partial fulfillment for the Clinical Doctorate. Capstone courses will represent 6 semester credit hours of work. The Capstone Defense (final examination) will be conducted by the students’ Capstone Committee. See the Policies and Procedures on the Graduate School website: www.uccs.deu/~gradschl/policies.html.

Time Limits—Doctoral Degree

Doctoral students are normally expected to complete all degree requirements within seven years from the date of the start of course work in the doctoral program. A student who fails to complete the degree in this seven-year period must file a petition for extension with the Graduate Dean. The petition, giving reasons why the student should be allowed to continue in the program, must be endorsed by the program director or by three members of student’s dissertation advisory committee. If the Graduate Dean approves, the student may continue studies for one additional year. If the Graduate Dean does not approve, with the concurrence of the program director, the student may be dismissed from the program. If the Graduate Dean and the program director do not agree on whether a student should continue, the Graduate School Executive Committee shall make the final decision.

Student Appeal Procedures

The procedures for a student appeal to the Graduate Dean and the Graduate School Executive Committee are as follows:

• An appeal will be officially accepted from a student only after it has been determined that the student has exhausted the appeals process in effect in the department/college.
• If a resolution to the problem identified in the student’s appeal cannot be reached on the department or unit level, the student may submit a written appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School. The written appeal must describe in detail the basis in fact for the opinion that the student has been treated unfairly and must describe actions taken to resolve the problem at the departmental level.
• Upon receipt of a written appeal from a student, the Dean of the Graduate School will contact the appropriate departmental officer to get a response to the questions or objections raised by the student. In some cases, a written response from the department may be requested.
• The response and appeal is then sent to the Student Affairs Subcommittee of the Graduate School Executive Committee. This committee acts in an advisory capacity to the Graduate Dean and will forward their findings and recommendations to the Dean.
• The Graduate Dean will make a decision in the case. This decision may be appealed by either party to the dispute to the full Graduate School Executive Committee, but only if the decision of the Dean is in disagreement with the recommendation of the Student Affairs Subcommittee.

Final Responsibility

All appeals regarding course grades shall follow the procedures established by the school or college in which the course was taken. Final authority on appeals submitted by graduate students concerning actions (other than grading) taken by faculty members, program directors, the Graduate Dean, or other administrative officials rests with the Graduate School Executive Committee.