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Academic and Grading Policies
Academic Information for Graduate Assistants (GA's)
Honor Code
Class Attendance
Course Grades
Grade-Point Average (Four-Point System)
Probation and Suspension
Residency Requirement
A prospective graduate/doctoral assistant must be admitted as a regular degree-seeking student in the
Academic Expectations. The graduate/doctoral assistant must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade-point-average with no grade below “C.”
Course Load. The minimum course load required during a semester of employment is nine semester hours. Students who enrolled in nine hours during the spring semester and plan to enroll the following fall semester are not required to enroll in the summer; otherwise a nine hour summer enrollment is required. Graduate/doctoral assistants taking more than 12 semester hours of course work must have approval from the Dean of the
Required Teaching Assistantship Course(s). As a condition of employment, all Teaching Assistants (TA) and Instructional Assistants (IA) must complete a total of three hours of professional development coursework. The course titles for the required in-service teaching courses vary by department. Some departments offer one three hour course, some departments offer a two hour and one hour course for a combination of three hours, and other departments offer a one hour course to be taken three times. Students enroll in the course offered by the department in which they are employed during the first semester of employment and as applicable continue to enroll in subsequent semesters until the three hour requirement is met. Students may not enroll in this coursework beyond the required three hours. Up to a total of three semester hours may be used with other graduate courses to satisfy the minimum nine semester hours of enrollment required as a condition of employment. The university administration will cover the fees and tuition for the required teaching assistantship course (up to a total of three semester credit hours).
Allowable Work Hours. During the fall and spring semesters, a graduate/doctoral assistant may work up to 50% FTE (20 hours per week). An exception request with justification from the graduate advisor or department chair approved by the Dean of the
Teaching Load for Graduate/Doctoral Teaching Assistants. The usual semester hour teaching load during the fall or spring semester is six semester hours or two classes. The usual semester hour teaching load during a six-week or eight-week summer session is one course (up to a maximum of four hours). A twelve-week summer session carries a normal teaching load of six hours. The Dean of the
These policies are designed to protect the graduate/doctoral assistant from bearing an unfair employment and course load, which facilitates the timely completion of the degree. Refer to UPPS 07.07.06 Salaried Graduate Assistant Employment Procedures for more detailed information regarding salaried graduate student employment procedures.
As members of a community dedicated to learning, inquiry, and creation, the students, faculty, and administration of our University live by the principles in this Honor Code. These principles require all members of this community to be conscientious, respectful, and honest.
WE ARE CONSCIENTIOUS. We complete our work on time and make every effort to do it right. We come to class and meetings prepared and are willing to demonstrate it. We hold ourselves to doing what is required, embrace rigor, and shun mediocrity, special requests, and excuses.
WE ARE RESPECTFUL. We act civilly toward one another and we cooperate with each other. We will strive to create an environment in which people respect and listen to one another, speaking when appropriate, and permitting other people to participate and express their views.
WE ARE HONEST. We do our own work and are honest with one another in all matters. We understand how various acts of dishonesty, like plagiarizing, falsifying data, and giving or receiving assistance to which one is not entitled, conflict as much with academic achievement as with the values of honesty and integrity.
THE PLEDGE FOR STUDENTS
Students at our University recognize that, to insure honest conduct, more is needed than an expectation of academic honesty, and we therefore adopt the practice of affixing the following pledge of honesty to the work we submit for evaluation:
THE PLEDGE FOR FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION
Faculty at our University recognize that the students have rights when accused of academic dishonesty and will inform the accused of their rights of appeal laid out in the student handbook and inform them of the process that will take place.
“I recognize students’ rights and pledge to uphold the principles of honesty and responsibility at our University.”
ADDRESSING ACTS OF DISHONESTY
Students accused of dishonest conduct may have their cases heard by the faculty member. The student may also appeal the faculty member’s decision to the Honor Code Council. Students and faculty will have the option of having an advocate present to insure their rights. Possible actions that may be taken range from exoneration to expulsion.
Class Attendance
It is the policy of the University to require regular, punctual attendance at all classes. However, the University recognizes that attendance policies may vary from department to department and in course to course. The University has no mandatory class attendance requirements except:
- Each faculty member will inform students of the course attendance policy at the initial class meeting.
- Students are responsible for understanding the attendance policy for each course in which they enroll and for meeting the attendance requirements
Religious Holy Days. "Religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code. In accordance with Texas Education Code Section 51.911, Texas State will allow a student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious holy day to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that absent day within a reasonable time after the absence if the student notifies the instructor of each class that he or she would be absent for a religious holy day. The Education Code includes excused absences for travel to and from the religious holy day observance. The student may make up class assignments or examinations without penalty within a reasonable time after the absence. Students may obtain notification forms from the Dean of Students’ Office. The student should personally deliver completed forms to the instructor for each class. The instructor will sign and date the form, thus acknowledging notification. If the student cannot personally deliver the form to an instructor, the student should mail the form to the instructor by certified mail, return receipt requested. A student who is excused under this section shall not be penalized for the absence, but the instructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to satisfactorily complete the assignment or examination within a reasonable time. Each instructor may establish additional procedures to accommodate the needs of students who are absent from classes to observe a religious holy day. These procedures must not conflict with the state law. Coordinating Board rules now provide for an appeal of a disagreement between the student and a faculty member over an absence related to a religious holy day. If a student and an instructor disagree about the nature of the absence being for the observance of a religious holy day, or if there is a disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the President or the President’s designee. The President or the President’s designee must take into account the legislative intent of Education Code Section 51.911. The student and instructor shall abide by the decision of the President or the President’s designee. The academic dean of each college serves as the President’s designee to hear requests for decisions on these matters from either the faculty member or the student. Any questions concerning this policy should be directed to the Office of the Dean of Students.
Grades. Texas State grades are assigned as follows: “A,” excellent; “B,” good; “C,” average; “D,” passing (not at the graduate level); “F,” failure or withdrawn failing; “I,” incomplete; and “W,” withdrawn passing. A grade of “PR,” in most instances may be temporary and non-punitive, but may be assigned in selected courses where the required clock hours needed to complete requirements extend beyond the regular semester or summer session. A grade of “CR” is assessed when credit only is given for a course, as in the case of the thesis course, after completion of the thesis.
Incomplete Grade. If any course work is incomplete during any semester, the work must be completed by an indicated deadline arranged between the student and the course instructor. The “I” grade may be assigned when, due to unusual circumstances beyond the student’s control, a significant portion of a course, such as a term paper or final examination, has not been completed. An “I” grade from Texas State will not count as hours attempted until another grade is substituted for the “I.” If the coursework has not been completed in twelve month’s time, the grade will automatically change to “F.”
Withdrawal Grade. A “W” grade is assigned only if a student drops a course by the published deadline. See also “Registration and Course Credit” chapter, “Withdrawal” section.
Change of Grade. An individual course grade may be changed when the involved faculty member certifies to the Registrar that an error was made in computing the original grade. The grade change must be approved by the department chair/school director and the appropriate college dean. Students who wish to protest a grade earned in a course should first discuss the grade with the instructor. If no resolution is reached, the student may appeal the grade to the department chair. If no satisfactory conclusion can be reached at this level, the student may appeal to the college dean whose decision is final. In accordance with Texas State’s records retention policies, a student appeal for a change of grade must be filed no later than two years after the grade is issued.
The grade point average (GPA) is the number of grade points earned divided by the number of semester hours attempted. Semester grade symbols have the following values:
| A = 4 points | C = 2 points | F = 0 points |
| B = 3 points | D = 1 point |
A graduate or post-graduate student as defined in this catalog, is required to maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average for all Texas State 4000-, 5000-, 6000-, and 7000-level courses (excluding required leveling courses) listed on a student’s Degree Audit for a graduate degree. Cumulative GPA’s are computed at the end of the fall semester, the spring semester, and the second summer session (both summer sessions combined are treated as equivalent to one semester in determining satisfactory academic progress).
If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 during any semester of enrollment at
Readmission. After being on suspension status for six months, a student may petition his or her graduate advisor and the Dean of the
Change of Major. Graduate students on probation may not change programs without a recommendation and special request from the prospective department. The Dean of the
Financial Aid. If a student is receiving financial aid, the student must also meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements for financial aid. See the “General Information” section for further details.
In general, 24 semester hours of graduate work must be completed in residence at Texas State University-San Marcos if a student is working on a master’s degree.
Doctoral students must satisfy a one-year residency requirement defined as 18 graduate credit hours (as part of the 31 required hours of course work) taken in residence at Texas State during consecutive fall, spring, and summer semesters.