Academic Policies

Academic Grades

Note: The grading schema for courses are not all the same. While some use an A-F scale, others like Dissertation Mentoring are graded Pass (i.e., P or S) or Fail (F). Your course syllabus will indicate the grade scale for each course. If a student receives a grade of "F" for a course, it will remain on the student's record, even after the course is retaken and a passing grade is earned subsequently. The grade of a repeated course is also recorded on the academic record and does not remove or replace a grade previously earned.

Academic Advisement Procedure and Sequence

Upon acceptance and registration, each student is assigned a faculty advisor. The advisor is to be consulted at each registration period. Your advisor is listed on the student tab in my.fordham.edu. Advisors may change yearly.

Each degree- or certification/certificate-seeking student is required to take a minimum of six credits per semester to be considered for and receive any form of federal aid, grant, discount, or other financial assistance.

Once a student receives approval to work with a mentor on a thesis or dissertation, that mentor may take on the duties of the faculty advisor. Please check with your advisor. Your faculty advisor will continue to provide support for academic planning and graduation clearance.

Candidates who plan to graduate during a summer term should note that full-time faculty are only contracted for the fall and spring semesters. Their obligations to the University cease at the end of May and resume at the start of the fall semester. Consequently, advisement must be substantially completed by the end of April, except when otherwise noted in your program handbook.

Please note that program requirements change. Students are responsible for the requirements published in the year they were admitted to the program. The only official list of requirements for each degree and entry year is maintained in Degree Works within my.fordham.edu. Please review your progress with your advisor each semester within Degree Works.

Academic Discipline

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards with regard to honesty, effort, and performance. Discipline will be enforced if a student violates the University's Code of Conduct or the academic policies of the Graduate School of Education. Please refer to the dean for the policies and procedures regarding the academic code of conduct and disciplinary process.

Academic Success and Advising

Students are expected to successfully complete their academic program in a timely manner. The Graduate School of Education (GSE) regularly monitors progress and provides coordinated support for academic advisement. Students who struggle to meet academic standards set by their program or GSE may be placed on academic notice (i.e., probation) and or assigned a credit limit for registration. In such cases, one's academic notice status or credit limit will be lifted only after academic standards have been met. Students who fail to meet academic standards may be academically dismissed. Students may also be provided an academic success and advisement plan (ASAP) to guide their academic progress. 

Maintenance of Matriculation

In order to maintain matriculated status, students must be continuously registered for fall and spring semesters from the start of the program until they graduate. Please check with your program advisor to determine whether summer coursework is required for timely graduation. Summer registration, however, is required when students seek to graduate during a summer semester. 

To maintain matriculation, students must be registered for one or more of the following: credit-bearing coursework, dissertation seminar, dissertation mentoring, doctoral residency, or the appropriate Maintenance of Matriculation course [i.e., EDGE 0666 (for master's or advanced certificate level) or EDGE 9995 (for doctoral level)] when not registering for other coursework during the term. Students must register for EDGE 0666 for the semester in which they take comprehensive examinations, if they are not registering for other coursework during that semester.

Students may freely register for a Maintenance of Matriculation course noted above for one semester. To register for a Maintenance of Matriculation course above for a subsequent term, permission from the Dean's Office is required and students may register via the Late Registration form after the add/drop period, so that appropriate program and Dean's Office approvals can be received. Once approved, the request will be processed.

Students unable to fulfill academic requirements for a term may apply for a short-term leave of absence (medical or non-medical). Anyone who fails to register without an approved leave of absence (and who is not registered for Maintenance of Matriculation) for one term will require permission from their advisor and Dean's Office to register for a subsequent term; the Dean's Office will then notify the Office of Academic Records. Anyone who fails to register for two consecutive semesters without an approved leave of absence will automatically lose matriculated status. Such students, who wish to return to their program, must formally reapply to it.

During the readmission review, the student's records will be evaluated in terms of admission and program requirements in effect at that time. If readmitted, the student will be held to the program requirements in effect upon their readmission, which may differ from the requirements under which they were originally admitted. As a result, additional coursework may be required. This readmission review will be conducted by the faculty and chairperson of the division in which the student seeks readmission.

Dissertation Format Review

After completing the dissertation seminar, and upon the successful oral defense of the dissertation, doctoral students must submit their dissertations for format review to assure that the dissertation document meets all the formatting and stylistic requirements of the Graduate School of Education and is ready for publication. Upon submission, doctoral students will be registered for EDGE 0999.

Registration Processes

Advising and online registration for all students takes place once a semester during the online registration period. Consult academic calendars for exact dates of advising and registration periods each semester. The advising period enables students to meet with their advisers regarding course selection and academic progress. New and non-matriculated students should register during the walk-in registration period (see academic calendar) after meeting with or speaking to an adviser for course selection guidance and approval. Tuition bills are mailed approximately one month before the start of the semester, and payment is due before classes begin.

Walk-in and online registration are also available at the start of each semester for new and non-matriculated students. Students are responsible for registering themselves for courses in Banner, which can be accessed through My.Fordham. Students who register late will need to use the late registration link. Their request will need to approved by their academic adviser and the associate dean for academic affairs. Registration instructions are sent to all continuing and newly admitted students. Validation by the bursar and registrar is required before the registration is finalized. 

Retroactive Registration

Students are responsible for reviewing their academic transcripts each term to ensure accuracy. For security reasons and in accordance with University policies, class attendance is not allowed unless the student is officially enrolled and payment has been submitted. Retroactive registration will not be approved, except in cases involving a University error or documented special circumstances beyond the student's control. Students will have up to 15 academic calendar days from the end of a term to dispute any transcript entries they believe are inaccurate, using the GSE academic appeal process. It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with all University policies and to seek academic advice when needed.

Adding or Dropping Courses

From the start of the registration window up until the add/drop deadline listed in the academic calendar, students may make changes to their course registrations via the same system. During add/drop, students may drop a course without penalty.

After the conclusion of the add/drop period, students must submit the course withdrawal/late registration form on My.Fordham to make any changes to their course registrations. Registration changes following the add/drop deadline carry penalties as communicated in the withdrawal policy and in accordance with the academic calendar. Students must send written instructor permission for late registration to their adviser, and the course must not be full, for their late registration form request to be approved.

Veteran students should be aware that if they are using any military education benefit, withdrawal from a class may create a debt with the VA, their Service Branch, or Fordham. Before withdrawing from a class, such students should consult with the VA Certifying Officials in the Office of Academic Records.

Adding and dropping courses, including workshops, will result in an adjustment to one's financial responsibility for registration (see Graduate Education section on tuition and fees for prorated schedule of refunds). 

Refunds 

Application fees and enrollment deposits are not refundable. General, technology, student activities, laboratory, maintenance of matriculation, and other special fees are not refundable once classes begin. See the refund schedule for adding and dropping courses.

Grade Point Average and Academic Notice

Students in master's and most advanced (certificate/certification) programs must maintain a B (3.0) grade point average (GPA) or higher to continue in their programs and to graduate, unless otherwise specified. For students in Ed.D. and Ph.D. programs, a B+ (3.5) GPA or higher is required. Students' academic records are reviewed throughout their programs. If a student's GPA falls below the requirement, the student may be placed on academic notice (i.e., probation) with an academic success and advisement plan (ASAP). The school may require additional, alternative, or remedial coursework or other measures to assist the student to improve academic record. The student placed on academic notice may be assigned a credit limit for registration. Failure to demonstrate adequate academic progress each term while on academic notice for up to two contiguous academic terms may result in dismissal.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all scheduled course meetings and complete all assigned work. If extraordinary circumstances prevent attendance or the timely completion of assignments, the student should consult the faculty member to make alternate arrangements for meeting the course requirements. These situations may require an extension of time to complete a course. Extensions ("incompletes") must be requested and once approved, cleared by the announced date of the next semester. See academic calendar for last date to remove "incompletes" before they convert to administrative F grades.

Course Load

Graduate pre-service teacher education programs require a block of full time attendance, and involve credit loads as indicated in the program descriptions. For all other graduate programs, students are considered full time if they are enrolled in nine credits per semester or the equivalent. Students are encouraged to confirm the definition of the term, "full time" when seeking aid from Federal programs. Students employed full time may not register for more than six credits per semester unless granted permission from their academic adviser. Summer session students may take up to six credits per session for a maximum of 12 credits during June, July, and August, including for-credit institutes and tutorials.

Independent Studies/Tutorials

Students with good cause may request an independent study with a full time instructional staff member with expertise in the course content area. The approval of the faculty member, division chairperson, and the associate dean for academic affairs is required prior to beginning the independent study. Independent study applications must be submitted to the associate dean for academic affairs during the regular registration period. A maximum of six credits of independent study are permitted during a student's academic program.

Multiple Degrees

Transfers of Credit

Students may request a transfer of credit for a course completed at another accredited institution provided the course is at the graduate level and its content is equivalent to course content required/permitted for the degree at Fordham. The course may not have been used to fulfill requirements for another degree and it must have been completed with a grade of B or better (the grade P is normally not transferable unless it is the only passing grade given by the institution). In addition, the course must have been taken within the five years prior to date of anticipated completion of the degree in progress at Fordham. Associated knowledge or performance assessments may be required, depending on the course.

To transfer credit, complete a transfer of credit form and submit it to your adviser and division chairperson with an official transcript of the credits and grade earned in the course along with a photocopy of the course description from the offering institution's school bulletin. The division chair will forward the documents with a recommendation to the associate dean for academic affairs for approval. Up to six graduate credits may be transferred. It is the student's responsibility to arrange for his or her transcript to be sent to the division office to accompany the transfer of credit form.

Transfer credits do not contribute to a student's GPA. Please note that if transfer credit is granted for a course taken prior to admission to Fordham, the time limit for program completion is computed from the semester of the transferred course.

Exemption from Courses

Students may request an exemption from a required course if they have taken similar coursework previously or if they have equivalent or substantively related professional experience. To request an exemption, students must submit a completed application for exemption to their division chairperson.

An exemption waives a student from completing a course that is ordinarily required, and may reduce the number of credits a student needs to complete for their specific program. An exemption does not, however, reduce the minimum number of Fordham-earned credits required for a degree (30 for a master's and 45 for a doctorate; the doctoral programs in School Psychology and Counseling Psychology require 60 Fordham-earned credits).

The application must be accompanied by documentary evidence to justify the exemption; for example, an official transcript and photocopy of the course description from the institution's bulletin, a copy of a professional certification, or a signed statement from a supervisor indicating satisfactory completion of an equivalent experience. Associated knowledge and performance assessments may be required, depending on the course.

Time Limits

All requirements for the master's degree or the professional diploma must be completed within five years of the first course applied to the degree. All requirements for the doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) must be completed within eight years of the first course applied to the degree. If transfer credit is granted for a course taken prior to admission to Fordham, the time limit will be computed from the semester of the transferred course. Students who do not complete their programs within the time limits may have their matriculation automatically terminated. Extensions of time to complete a degree may be granted by the associate dean for academic affairs upon the recommendation of the division chairperson and adviser, and submission of a satisfactory degree completion action plan. However, students are typically allowed only a single, one-year extension.

Time Limit Extensions

Courses expire after five years, except for courses completed within the five- or eight-year time limit for doctoral (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) programs. Expired courses must be repeated (see program requirements).

Registered students may seek a one-year extension prior to the completion of their initial time limit. An approved one-year extension for continually registered students completing an initial time limit will result in the extension of expired courses.

Time-limit extension requests for more than one year require a contract, approved by the student's advisor and/or graduate program director, Division Chair, and Associate Dean, which outlines all future milestones toward the completion of the student's degree coursework (including milestones toward the completion of a dissertation) and the proposed dates by which the student should have completed these tasks.

Students returning from a leave seeking a time-limit extension must request approval of expired courses. Students returning from an approved medical leave of absence may be considered for a one-year extension noted above.

Fordham courses six to 10 years old, with a grade of B or higher, may be considered for a time-limit extension. A maximum of 12 credits may be extended.

Fordham courses older than 10 years will not be considered for extension without evidence that the content knowledge gained in the courses has been utilized via continued study or through professional experience for the past two consecutive years leading up to the time-limit extension request. Students may submit transcripts verifying relevant graduate study for the past two years or annual professional performance reviews for the past two years. Written approval from the Division Chair is required to consider an extension request for courses other than 10 years.

Time limit extension requests will only be considered for programs actively registered with the New York State Department of Education and active in the Fordham Bulletin. Extension approval is not guaranteed.

Leave of Absence

Requesting a Leave of Absence

Each program has a time limit for completion which is required for all programs. If extenuating circumstances occur that inhibit your ability to move forward in a timely manner toward program and degree completion, a leave of absence (LOA) can be requested. Leaves are granted to students who must interrupt their planned timeline for program completion. Leaves of absence are approved for not less than one full semester and may not exceed 12 months (two consecutive semesters, not counting summers, unless summer registration is required for a student's program) to students who intend to return to the University to complete their program. A LOA must be requested for each academic semester leave is needed. For programs requiring registration during the summer, an approved LOA may be requested in advance for that term. You must specify the last date of academic activity and the semester in which you plan to return. Failing to apply for an official LOA may result in an administrative stop-out and require reapplication to your program for students who do not maintain continuous matriculation during each required term.

A LOA should be requested at least two weeks before the next semester starts. If extenuating medical circumstances arise, you may request a medical leave of absence during a semester of active enrollment. Requests for a retroactive LOA will not be approved. There are two types of LOAs, a non-medical leave of absence and a medical LOA.

Should you request a medical leave of absence, documentation from a licensed healthcare professional is required. Please note that a medical diagnosis is not requested nor required by the University. As a rule, documentation must be received on professional letterhead or from a professional email, to include a justification and timeframe for a LOA, along with the name and contact information of the health care professional.

Returning from an Approved Leave of Absence

To return from an approved non-medical LOA, you must begin the process at least 30 days prior to the start of the semester in which you wish to resume your studies. It is important to meet with your primary advisor to review and update your academic record for returning to coursework.

To return from an approved medical LOA, you must follow the timeframe and guidelines required by the Reentry Process. Please bear in mind that an intent to return may have to be submitted 60 days prior to the semester in which you wish to resume studies. Should your return to University coursework and academic activities require an accommodation, you may coordinate your application to return from a medical LOA with a request for an official accommodation plan from the Office of Disability Services.

You must complete the Student Affairs Mental Health and Medical-Related Re-Entry Process, adhering to their deadlines and requirements. More information about the Re-Entry Process can be found on the website at www.fordham.edu/reentry. Fordham GSE students seeking more information about the re-entry process are encouraged to contact the Dean of Students (212-636-6250); deanofsalc@fordham.edu) if at the Lincoln Center or Westchester campus. 

Fordham Resources while on an Approved LOA

During an approved LOA, you may be eligible for certain Fordham University resources, such as wellness and counseling. For more information, please contact the Office of Student Life.

Incomplete Policy

Criteria

A request for an "Incomplete" shall be initiated by the student and approved by the course instructor. The "Incomplete" (INC) is a temporary grade that may be assigned only when the criteria below are met:

• The student has satisfactorily completed 75% of the course requirements as determined by the course instructor;

• The student has experienced unforeseen and extenuating circumstances that can be documented, which prevent fulfillment of the remaining course requirements by the end of the term;

• The student is willing and able to satisfy outstanding course requirements within a four-week timeframe following the last day of coursework;

• A formal request for "Incomplete" has been initiated via the procedure below within the last two weeks of coursework and before the last day of coursework.

• A completed Incomplete Contract has been submitted to the Office of Academic Records.

An incomplete shall not be assigned when it is necessary for the student to attend a major portion of the class when it is next offered. An incomplete is also prohibited where the normal practice requires an extension of the course requirement beyond the close of the term, e.g., thesis or project-type courses. An incomplete grade is not appropriate for students who completed all coursework but are unsatisfied with the final grade for the course nor for additional grading time.

Completion of the course requirements, instructor evaluation, and change of grade request shall occur no later than the date specified on the GSE Academic Calendar of the approved "INC."

Procedures

• The student who is certain they meet the criteria for requesting an incomplete grade will initiate the workflow by going to the portal, my.fordham.edu, Students page, under Electronic Forms, selecting the "Incomplete (INC) Grade Contract" link, and completing part 1 of the INC Grade Contract form. The student must provide a reason for the request, with documentation to be shared with the course instructor. Please bear in mind that medical diagnoses are not to be shared with the instructor. Upon submission, the workflow will route the request to the course instructor.

• If the instructor determines that the student meets the above criteria, the instructor will check the approve box and specify the course assignments that must be completed. All outstanding course assignments must be submitted to the instructor for final grading within four weeks of the last day of coursework. Instructors will have two weeks to grade the missing assignments and submit grade change requests before the deadline specified on the GSE Academic Calendar.

• If at any stage of the workflow, the request for an Incomplete is denied by the Instructor or the Dean's Office, the workflow will end, and the student will receive a notification.

• All INC grades not cleared through the grade change request process by the deadline specified on the GSE Academic Calendar will result in an F on the student's transcript. No exceptions will be made.

• The Dean's Office shall maintain official records of the written contract. If the instructor of record that issued the INC grade is no longer available, the Division Chair and/or Program Coordinator shall ensure that the instructor's obligations are fulfilled.

Incomplete Due to Military Service (IMS)

When a member of the Armed Forces (including reserve components) receives orders to perform a period of service (i.e. active duty, inactive duty training, or state service), the temporary grade of IMS is assigned by the Office of Academic Records. Students who receive a grade of IMS will have the opportunity to complete the given term after the period of service. Service members must provide a copy of their military orders to the Office of Military and Veterans' Services prior to receiving an IMS grade.

Transcript of Record

An official transcript is one bearing the seal of the University and the signature of the University Registrar.

Official academic transcripts may be issued to educational institutions, employers, scholarship/grant/fellowship organizations, application services, government agencies, etc., or to students (for personal use). Students may view their unofficial transcript online by using their credentials on fordham.edu. Official transcripts cannot be faxed to recipients.

Students and alumni who request an official transcript for personal use may not forward it to another party; doing so renders the transcript unofficial. Transcripts should always be issued to the intended final recipient.

The University offers online ordering for secure electronic transcripts as well as for mailed (paper) transcripts. Full details are available from the Office of Academic Records.

Students may request an unofficial transcript listing courses and credits marked "Unofficial." The University accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of an unofficial transcript after it has been issued.

Transcripts may be requested from the University via the National Student Clearinghouse. They should be requested well in advance of the date desired. No transcripts will be issued for students who have account holds that prevent transcript release. In compliance with New York State law, the University does not withhold transcripts for unpaid financial obligations. Fees apply for specialized transcript mailing services (i.e. certified mail, international mail, express mail). These fees and services are subject to change at any time.

The Office of Academic Records may use its discretion to limit the number of transcripts requested at any one time.

Students who attended (completed any of their coursework) at the University prior to 1990, or at Marymount College prior to Fall 2002, must use this Transcript Request Form and submit it to the Office of Academic Records. Such transcripts cannot be delivered electronically, and can only be delivered via mail (regular or express).

Fordham University will make every effort to promptly fill all requests for transcripts but will not assume responsibility for delays. All inquiries concerning issuance of transcripts must be made to the Office of Academic Records.

Auditing Privileges

Individuals who have earned the baccalaureate, master's degree, or professional diploma may apply to audit a course on a space-available basis for the purpose of personal or professional development. The fee for auditing courses is equal to tuition for one graduate credit. An application for non-matriculated study and an add/drop form are used to request the audit privilege. Audits are approved by the associate dean for academic affairs.

No grades, credit, or transcripts are given for audited courses. Audited courses will not be considered in requests for exemptions, transfers, waivers, or advanced standing should the auditor subsequently be admitted to a degree program in the Graduate School of Education. An audited course may not be changed to a credit course. Institutes that are taken for noncredit are considered as audited and may not be changed to a credit experience after the institute is over.

The University also extends the privilege of auditing courses on a space-available basis without payment of fees to scholars with doctoral degrees from Fordham or other universities. There are some courses, for example, upper-level, practica, laboratory, or seminar courses, that are not open to auditors. Application by letter should be made to the associate dean for academic affairs, who will provide a letter to be presented to the instructor of the course to be audited if the application is approved.

Standards for Written Assignments

Ordinarily, all written assignments for course requirements will be typed and double-spaced, with at least 1-inch margins on the top, right, and bottom and a wider 1½-inch margin on the left. Students are responsible for proofreading their papers, ensuring correct spelling and correct grammatical structure. If the assignment includes research documentation, the recommended manuals of style referred to course syllabus or any program-specific handbook(s) are to be followed.

Faculty may require the use of the writing center or an outside editor (paid by the student) to resolve regular or substantial problems with student writing.

Nondiscriminatory Use of Language

All written assignments should adopt nondiscriminatory and gender-inclusive language. See the style guide for your course or program for further details.

Plagiarism and Academic Integrity

Plagiarism is a serious offense and can be defined as "literary theft" when a student misrepresents the work of another as one's own. One who intentionally plagiarizes the work of another in a course paper, project, or examination can expect to receive a failing grade for the assignment and potentially for the course. The decision will be made by the professor in consultation with the dean or assistant dean and will be recorded in the student's file. Students who commit a second act of plagiarism may be dismissed from the school. 

One who unintentionally misrepresents borrowed material as one's own original work, either resulting from carelessness or ignorance, will have the assignment returned with the opportunity to rewrite it in an acceptable form. The following guidelines apply to all written work:

1. Using the ideas, thoughts, words, and statements of another, including those quoted from online sources, without crediting the source, constitutes plagiarism.
2. If exact words of another are used, they must be put in quotation marks or indented, and acknowledged through footnotes, endnotes, references, or bibliography.
3. If the thoughts or ideas, rather than the exact words, of another are used, they must be acknowledged through footnotes, endnotes, references, or bibliography.
4. If source material is paraphrased or rephrased, it must be acknowledged accordingly through footnotes, endnotes, references, or bibliography. If the paraphrased material includes exact words, phrases, and sentences, they must be put in quotation marks.
5. The underlying criterion for determining plagiarism is claiming as one's own original work the ideas, thoughts, words, and statements of another without crediting the source.
6. Plagiarism can also involve the use of commentary from other students, or other sources (including AI), in the context of online discussions and projects.

For additional policies and procedures regarding academic integrity, consult the University policy.

Academic Appeals

Students within the Graduate School of Education who believe they have been treated unfairly (i.e., erroneously or arbitrarily) in an academic matter, including, but not limited to, a grade assignment, course or program requirements, or policies as posted, may pursue an academic appeal. Students are requested to use the relevant procedures. Appeals must be filed no later than 15 days of an incident or, for a grade appeal, following the end of the academic term.

Reserved Rights of the University

The University reserves the right, at its discretion, at any time, to deny matriculated status, to cancel a student’s registration, to refuse to award academic credits, or to deny or rescind a certificate or a degree in accordance with the University Statutes and its academic policies. All forms of dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, will result in appropriate disciplinary action, including denial or revocation of a degree or certificate.