Policy for Dismissal

Approved by Department of Educational Studies Curriculum and

Graduate Committee on April 11, 1997

Approved by Department of Educational Studies faculty

on April 17, 1997

        In general, the necessary precautions are taken during the admission process to select those students who have potential to successfully complete graduate work.  However, some cases arise in which a student should not continue in a graduate program.  Graduate School policy as well as Department policy set standards for dismissal.  For master's-degree students, numbers A. 4 and A. 5 below do not apply.  For Purdue University regulations regarding academic dishonesty and criminal behavior, see University Regulations.

  A.    The following are instances in which a student will be dismissed from graduate study based on Graduate School and Department Policy:

             1.   If a student does not enroll for a period of 3 consecutive semesters (including summer), the student will be dismissed.  The student must reapply, and reentry is subject to favorable approval by the program area.

             2.   If a student is admitted conditionally and does not meet the conditions of admission, the student will be dismissed.  The student will be informed by the COE Graduate Office with a copy to the advisor as soon as the information is available.

             3.   A student is expected to maintain a graduate cumulative index presenting a 3.0 GPA or better.  If a student does not maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better, the student will be dismissed.  The student will be informed by the COE Graduate Office with a copy to the advisor as soon as the information is available.

             4.   If the Ph.D. work has extended five years beyond the successful completion of preliminary exams, the student will be dismissed from a graduate program.

             5.   If a student does not pass preliminary examinations, the student will be dismissed.  If this is the first attempt at preliminary examinations, the student's committee may recommend a second attempt as specified in Educational Studies Preliminary Examination Policy.

     B.    A student may be dismissed from a graduate program because of a lack of progress.  Procedures to be followed include:

         1.    Evaluation of student progress is based on an assessment of:

                 a.    Research Skills (e.g., successful completion of EDPS 533, EDPS 630, a statistical sequence, participation on a research team, progress on dissertation research).

                 b.   Technical Skills for their area (e.g., teaching, counseling, supervision, assessment, administration).

                 c.    Professional and Ethical Behavior (e.g., appropriate interactions with clients, students, peers, supervisors, and faculty behavior consistent with professional standards including confidentiality, honesty, and academic integrity).

                d.  Writing Skills  for their area (e.g., scholarly writing, grant

                     writing, policy reports, IEP's, case conceptualizations,
                      reports).

        2.    A student's lack of progress will be recorded in writing with copies given to the student and put in the student's file (kept by the advisor or program area as directed by program area policy).  If the student's progress is unsatisfactory, a plan of remediation must be specified and a special time frame for remediation identified.  In special circumstances, program area faculty may decide that remediation is not appropriate and dismissal from the graduate program will be immediate.  

        3.    If a student does not complete the remediation satisfactorily within the specified time frame, the student will be dismissed.