Academic Standing
To be in good academic standing, a graduate student must maintain a 3.00 or better cumulative GPA. Any student falling below the graduate cumulative GPA requirement of 3.00 will be placed on Graduate Academic Probation. If the student fails to earn a GPA of 3.00 or better in their next graduate semester of enrollment, they will be academically dismissed from the University. Any graduate student academically dismissed has the option to sit out the designated semester of suspension or to appeal their academic suspension and/or financial aid ineligibility to the University’s Appeals Committee. If the Appeals Committee agrees to academically reinstate the student for an additional semester, the student will be classified as graduate probation by approval. If a student placed on academic probation meets the minimum semester GPA requirement (3.00) during their next semester of enrollment but fails to increase their overall cumulative GPA to 3.00, he/she will be academically eligible to return the next semester on continued academic probation. If a student increases his/her cumulative GPA to 3.00 or better, after being placed on graduate academic probation, he/she will be removed from graduate probation.
Admissions
Admission to Concord University provides students with an opportunity to complete a graduate degree program that fosters knowledge/mastery of content, critical thinking, communication, and personal, civic, cultural, and global competence. Concord University Graduate Studies is dedicated to professional preparation and advancement. Admission requirements vary by each graduate program. For more information, visit our Graduate Studies page on our Admissions website.
Appeals
Graduate appeals follow the same procedure as undergraduate appeals. Details can be viewed under Academic Policies and Procedures .
Financial Aid Eligibility
Financial aid is available for most graduate level students who carry at least six (6) credit hours during a semester of enrollment at Concord University. Nine (9) credit hours are considered a full-time load at the graduate level. Students must be enrolled in courses that apply directly to their program of study in order to qualify for financial aid. Students enrolled in Certification Only programs of study are ineligible for financial aid. Students are evaluated at the end of every academic term. All students are evaluated on three standards: (1) grade point average (qualitative measure), (2) credit hour completion ratio (quantitative measure), and (3) maximum time frame. To maintain eligibility under SAP, students must meet all three standards. The Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP) is available on the University’s website. Students who fail to make academic progress during a semester of enrollment may become subject to the Federal Unofficial Withdrawal Policy. This policy may be viewed in detail at the following link: Withdrawal from the University.
Tuition Reduction Program (MED Program Only)
Concord University offers a discounted rate to eligible teachers employed in select counties. This tuition reduction is available to full-time teachers in Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer, McDowell, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming Counties in West Virginia, and Bland, Giles, and Tazewell Counties in Virginia. Graduate students requesting this fee must provide proof of full-time employment to the Graduate Coordinator.
Financial Aid is available for students who carry a full course load of nine credit hours and are enrolled in the full 36-hour program. Inquiries may be directed to the Financial Aid Office.
Graduate Forgiveness Policy - Permission to Repeat a Graduate Course
Graduate students may repeat up to two courses in which they earned a grade of C or lower. The decision to repeat a course is made between the student and the advisor and must be approved by the Graduate Program Director for their respective program using the Graduate Grade Forgiveness Form.
To graduate, students must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) set by the individual program. Except for those taken under the Graduate Forgiveness Policy, all courses will count toward the student’s graduate-level GPA to determine academic progress and graduation requirements within the established minimum cumulative GPA requirement. Each course may only be repeated once before receiving the degree, and the original (first attempt) grade will be disregarded in the GPA calculation. Only the grade earned when repeated will be used to determine the GPA, even if the grade for the second attempt is lower than the first attempt. However, the original grade will not be deleted from the student’s academic record. Graduate Grade Forgiveness cannot be approved if the student received a grade of W when the course was repeated. Programs may prohibit students from repeating courses or petitioning for grade forgiveness.
Graduation Requirements
Qualifying for Graduation is solely a student responsibility. If there are any doubts about meeting the requirements for graduation, the student should check with his or her academic advisor and with the Registrar’s Office.
To receive a master's degree from Concord University, a student must have:
- complete the course requirements set for their particular program, as described in the applicable Catalog:
- achieved at least a 3.0 GPA and met all special departmental requirements (graduate programs do not qualify for institutional honors);
- satisfied any penalties and/or holds imposed by the University; and,
- paid the $55 Graduation Fee.
Graduation Procedure
Concord University grants degrees at the end of each fall and spring semester and at the close of the second summer session. Students completing the requirements for programs of study will receive the appropriate credentials at one of these three dates. Two formal graduation ceremonies are held annually, at the close of the spring semester in May and the fall semester in December. Students whose potential graduation date is August will be allowed to participate in the May Commencement ceremonies provided that, the student has the required grade point average for graduation.
Semester Credit-Hour Load
Classification as a full-time graduate student requires enrollment in 9 -credit hours of coursework each semester. (Note: Graduate students must be enrolled in at least six credit hours, each regular semester, in order to be considered for financial aid eligibility. Graduate enrollment for Summer I and Summer II may be combined to determine the student’s six- hour financial aid eligibility requirement.)
*Students may not complete more than their maximum permissible credit hour load at any time unless an Academic Exception Form has been submitted to and approved by the Office of the Provost.
Transfer Credit
A student may transfer up to six (6) semester hours of graduate work completed at another accredited institution and apply these toward a graduate degree with Concord University. All transfer coursework must be approved by the instructor, graduate studies coordinator, and the director of graduate studies. Studies can apply to have their coursework evaluated using the Graduate Request for Transfer Credit form.
Withdrawals
A student withdrawing from the University during any semester or summer term will be given grades of W in all courses provided that the student has completed withdrawal procedures prior to the beginning of the last week of classes for that semester or term.
To withdraw from the University a student must complete the online Withdrawal Form. Students are strongly encouraged to contact their faculty advisor Financial Aid prior to completing the form.
Refunds for withdrawal from the University will be based upon the student’s last verified date of attendance and the appropriate percentage rate associated with that date. Students should refer to the Refunds section of Tuition, Fees and Expenses for additional information.
Students who wish to only withdraw from a course or selected courses rather than the entire semester should refer to the Adding/Dropping Courses section of the Academic Catalog.
Graduate students who fail to make academic progress during a semester of enrollment may become subject to the Federal Unofficial Withdrawal Policy. This policy may be viewed in detail at the following link: Withdrawal from the University.
Graduate Programs of Study:
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