[ Table of Contents | School of Education | Bulletins Homepage | Next Section ]





School of Education Regulations



Note: Regulations stipulated in this part of the Bulletin are applicable to all students admitted to the School of Education. Additional regulations for undergraduate study in Health, Physical, and Recreation Education, for study in teacher education, and for graduate study are given later in this Bulletin.


  • Applicability of Policies
    The regulations stipulated in this edition of the School of Education Bulletin apply to those students admitted for the fall term 1997 (98-1) and subsequent terms. This Bulletin will continue as the official statement of policy for the School until the next complete edition of the School of Education Bulletin is prepared and printed. For students admitted prior to the fall term 1997, the Bulletin current during the term of their initial registration will continue as the official policy document governing their degree programs.


  • Admissions Requirements
    Applications for admission are available in the Office of Student Personnel Services, 5N Forbes Quadrangle. Admissions requirements for undergraduate study in Health, Physical, and Recreation Education, for study in teacher education, and for graduate study are described later in this Bulletin.

    Students may request the Office of Student Personnel Services to forward their admissions applications and credentials to the admissions committee of a different degree or certification program within the School of Education for consideration should they fail to gain admission to the degree/certification program to which they initially applied. In such instances, students will not be required to pay an additional application fee, provided the request is made within one calendar year of receipt of the application.


  • Adviser
    Each student is assigned an academic adviser at the time of admission to a program. All course work scheduled must be approved by the academic adviser, who assists in the preparation of a student's Plan of Studies and who regularly meets with the student to review the student's academic progress and to complete registration forms. Most School of Education faculty members are not in residence from May until late August. Thus, students should consult with their academic advisers prior to the end of the spring term to complete registration forms for the upcoming summer and fall terms.

    Each graduate student who is completing a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation selects a research adviser to provide guidance during the conduct of the thesis or dissertation research. The research adviser may be the same faculty member as the academic adviser or another faculty member. Whatever the case, the faculty member's consent to serve as the research adviser must be formally obtained. A student continuing from a master's program involving a thesis to a doctoral program may select a different research adviser to provide guidance for the doctoral dissertation.

    A change of the academic adviser or the research adviser may be initiated by the student, the adviser, or the department. Any such change must be made according to applicable departmental policy. Notification of such a change must be sent to the student, to the new and former advisers, and to the Office of Student Personnel Services.


  • Registration
    The Provost publishes the University of Pittsburgh Academic Calendar, which establishes the dates for registration. These dates also appear in the Schedule of Classes for each term.

    Each student pursuing a degree or certification within the School of Education must be officially admitted, readmitted, or reinstated to an academic program in the School of Education before registering for courses.

    Both the adviser and the student are responsible for the development of the student's Plan of Studies and the selection of specific courses. The courses selected must be listed on the registration form, signed and dated by both the student and the academic adviser, and processed by the published deadline date to avoid the assessment of a late registration fee.

    Students registering for the first time are advised to complete registration as soon as possible before the beginning of the term. Continuing students are advised to complete registration forms for the upcoming summer and fall terms prior to the end of the spring term. After the start of classes, registration is permitted for new and continuing students only with the written approval of the Dean's Office and with the payment of a late fee.

    Graduate students must be registered in the term in which they take preliminary and comprehensive examinations. A student who has completed all course requirements for a graduate degree but has not fulfilled other requirements (e.g., writing a thesis or a dissertation) is required, if University facilities or faculty time are being used, to register each term for one credit (or more as the program considers appropriate).

    In the fall and spring terms, undergraduate students who register for 12 to 18 credits per term and graduate students who register for 9 to 15 credits per term are regarded as full-time students and are assessed tuition at the full-time rate; undergraduate students who register for less than 12 credits and graduate students who register for less than 9 credits are regarded as part-time students and are billed on a per-credit basis. During the summer term, all students are billed on a per-credit basis.

    Doctoral students who have completed all credit requirements for the degree, including the requirement to register for a minimum of 18 dissertation credits, and are working full time on their dissertations may register for "Full-Time Dissertation Study," which carries no credits or letter grade but provides students full-time status. Students so enrolled are assessed a special tuition fee.

    All graduate students must register for at least one credit during the 12-month period preceding graduation and must be registered for the term in which they are graduated.


  • Readmission
    A student who does not register for at least one credit in three consecutive terms is classified as inactive. While on inactive status, a student is not eligible to use University facilities. An inactive student who desires to resume degree/certification work must file an application for readmission, pay the application fee, and be readmitted before being permitted to register again. Readmission is not automatic, nor does it necessarily reinstate the student to the status enjoyed prior to becoming inactive. When readmitted, the student must be prepared to meet all current admission and degree/certification requirements.

    A student who has withdrawn while on probation or who has been dismissed because of unsatisfactory academic work may be readmitted only by action of the appropriate faculty committee and the Dean/Associate Dean. Substantial evidence of potential to complete the academic program is necessary for readmission.

    A student who is readmitted must register for course work during the specific term indicated on the readmission letter. The readmission is valid for that specific term only. To be considered for any other term, the student must reapply and pay the application fee again.

    Any student who completes all degree/certification requirements must apply for readmission if he or she desires to undertake additional work.


  • Leave of Absence
    Under special conditions, graduate students may be granted one leave of absence. A maximum leave of one year may be granted to master's students and two years to doctoral students. The length of and rationale for the leave of absence must be stated in advance, recommended by the student's academic adviser and the specialization/program, and approved by the Dean/Associate Dean. If approved, the time of the leave shall not count against the statute of limitations. The time of the leave does, however, count against the time period associated with retaking the comprehensive examination when an extension of the statute of limitations is requested. Readmission following an approved leave of absence is automatic.


  • Failing and Incomplete Grades
    No student will be recommended for a degree and/or certification with a failing, unsatisfactory, or incomplete grade (F, U, G, or I) in any required course. Students who fail required courses must repeat them and pass them satisfactorily. A student may be recommended for a degree and/or certificate with an incomplete grade (G or I) appearing on the transcript if the course is not required for the degree and/or certificate and if written approval is given by the academic adviser.


  • Inspection of Student Record File
    Student record files are maintained in the Office of Student Personnel Services, 5N Forbes Quadrangle. The student record file normally consists of the student's admission application, admission credentials, official transcripts, and a record of student progress toward the degree and/or certification. Each student has the right to examine his or her own student record file and can do so by completing a "Request to Examine Records" form and presenting proof of identification (student ID, photo driver's license, passport, etc.). Letters of recommendation are confidential if the student has previously waived the right to read them. A student may examine these records in the presence of a School employee and may not remove or add materials to the file except on petition to and subsequent approval by the Dean/Associate Dean. All documents are the property of the School of Education and will not be returned to the student or duplicated for any reason.




    [ Table of Contents | School of Education | Bulletins Homepage | Next Section ]