Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) The following is the Saybrook University Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. This policy is in addition to any progress or performance policies in place for your college or program. Please consult your program s catalog requirements, your student handbook, and your Degree Chair to determine whether additional academic or performance conditions exist for your program. This policy and its requirements are applicable to all degree seeking students including those who do not draw financial aid. I. Pace Measurement: 1) Pace is measured by the formula: Pace = Completed Credits/Attempted Credits. Pace is measured cumulatively. Cumulative pace is calculated every semester. 2) Coursework other than Master s Projects/Theses and Doctoral Dissertations are measured for pace. 3) Students may attempt a maximum of 150% of the pace-measured credits required for their degree program. 4) Cumulative pace must not fall below 67%. Fractions are rounded to the nearest whole number. Example: Program X comprises 24 pace-measured credits. The student must complete those 24 credits prior to exceeding 36 total attempted credits (150%) while maintaining a 67% cumulative completed/attempted ratio. If the student attempts 6 credits each semester, and completes 4 of them each semester (67%), the student will maintain a 67% cumulative pace and will have completed all 24 credits by the time they have attempted 36 credits. II. Minimum Attempted Credits: PHS and LIOS: Except where limited by program design, students must attempt at least 6 credits per semester. Students not attempting 6 credits per semester may lose financial aid eligibility and eligibility for in-school loan deferments. Saybrook University does not offer part-time degree programs. MBM: Except where limited by program design as determined by student degree program plan (approved by Director of Mentoring and Instructional Excellence), students must attempt at least 3 credits per eight-week academic term (6 credits in Spring Semester 2012 and 3 credits in Summer Semester 2012). Students not attempting such
minimum credits may lose financial aid eligibility and eligibility for in-school loan deferments. Saybrook University does not offer part-time degree programs Students enrolled in any of the following courses in an academic term will be considered meeting minimum attempted credits: MBM 5538 (Quantitative Research Design for Healthcare I) - 2 credits MBM 5539 (Quantitative Research Design for Healthcare II) - 1 credit MBM 5548 (Qualitative Research Design for Healthcare I)- 2 credits MBM 5549 (Qualitative Research Design for Healthcare II)- 1 credit MBM 5551 (PhD Research Pilot Study I)- 1 credit MBM 5552 (PhD Research Pilot Study II)- 2 credits MBM 5586 (PhD Research Practicum) - 0 credits MBM 5590 (PhD Research Practicum) - 2 credits III. Attempted, Completed, Repeated, and Transfer Credits: 1) Attempted credits are pace-measured courses that require evaluation at the end of a given SAP evaluation period. These include repeated courses and courses dropped for non-completion. A) Pace-measured courses receiving a grade of I are considered attempted only after the end of the first SAP evaluation period if a credit earning grade is assigned prior to the end of the next period where an evaluation is required. A pace measured course receiving a grade of I will be considered attempted again in the subsequent period where an evaluation is required and: i) does not receive a credit earning grade, OR ii) receives a non-credit earning grade, OR iii) is not complete. B) Pace-measured courses receiving a grade of IP or PC are considered attempted in the SAP evaluation period in which the IP or PC is assigned and in any subsequent period where an evaluation is required. C) Courses exempt from the terms of this section include Master s Projects/Theses, Doctoral Dissertations, Internships, Professional Seminars (LIOS), Professional Consultations (LIOS). 2) Completed credits are pace-measured courses that receive credit earning grades. Courses receiving I, IP, or PC are measured as completed only after receiving a credit earning grade.
3) If a student receives 1 unit of credit for having attended a PHS Residential Conference, the credit is considered attempted and completed for that semester s SAP pace measurement. 4) Except when required, courses receiving a credit earning grade may not be repeated. Except where prohibited by any other policy, a course receiving a final non-credit earning grade may be repeated. Repeated courses are subject to SAP requirements and are considered attempted credits per section III.1. 5) Except when awarded under the terms of a Saybrook Master to Doctoral program, transfer credits are considered attempted and completed and are included in cumulative pace calculations. IV. Culminating Phase: 1) Master s Projects/Theses, Doctoral Dissertations, and Internships are not calculated in the pace requirement, and are not subject to the grading or pacing terms described in section III. 2) Students registering for a Project, Thesis, Dissertation, or Internship while not on Internship Status (see Section V) must continue to meet the pace requirement for other attempted credits. A) Students registering for the Master s Project with degree required coursework outstanding must complete all degree requirements before the end of the third full semester after the Project is registered. Students registering for the Master s Project with no outstanding degree requirements must complete their degree program before the end of the second full semester after the Project is registered. B) Students registering for the Master s Thesis with degree required coursework outstanding must complete all degree requirements before the end of the fourth full semester after the Thesis is registered. Students registering for the Master s Thesis with no outstanding degree requirements must complete their degree program before the end of the third full semester after the Thesis is registered. C) Students registering for the Doctoral Dissertation with required degree coursework outstanding must complete all degree requirements before the end of the seventh full semester after the Dissertation is registered. Students registering for the Doctoral Dissertation with no outstanding degree requirements must complete their degree program before the end of the sixth full semester after the Dissertation is registered.
D) Students changing from a Thesis to a Project, or from a Project to a Thesis, are measured according to their new SAP requirement described in A or B above, less the period of time already registered for their previous culminating course. 3) Students in Project, Thesis, or Dissertation who have completed all degree required coursework become subject to the pace measurement if registering coursework beyond that which is required for the degree program, including Doctoral coursework registered during completion of the Master s program as afforded by the Master to Doctoral track. V. Leaves, Withdrawal, Internship Status: SAP requirements are suspended during evaluation periods in which a leave is taken, during periods of withdrawal, or during periods of Internship Status. A student returning from a period of leave, withdrawal, or Internship Status resumes the SAP status in effect immediately prior to the beginning of the leave, withdrawal, or Internship Status. The pace calculation will include all previous attempted and completed credits. VI. SAP Statuses: SAP Warning, Financial Aid/Academic Suspension, Financial Aid/Academic Probation, SAP Dismissal: 1) SAP Warning A) First time admits not completing 67% of their attempted units after their first semester of enrollment will be alerted to the deficient pace by receiving SAP Warning. i) There are no sanctions associated with SAP Warning. ii) Students receiving SAP Warning may be contacted by Saybrook University administration to develop a plan for the subsequent semester that will yield a cumulative pace of no less than 67% by the end of the second semester of enrollment. If this pace is not achieved at the end of the second semester of enrollment, student will be placed on Financial Aid/Academic Suspension. B) Readmitted students, or withdrawn students seeking admission to a different program or college within the University, are not considered new students for the purposes of this section, and pace will be calculated over all current and previous enrollment periods. See section V. 2) Financial Aid/Academic Suspension
A) Except as described in 1A of this section, students whose cumulative pace falls below 67% will be placed on Financial Aid/Academic Suspension. i) Financial aid may not be awarded to students on Financial Aid/Academic Suspension. ii) Students may appeal Financial Aid/Academic Suspension unless prohibited under section VI.3.B. B) Students who fail to complete their Master s Project/Thesis, or Doctoral Dissertation within the timeframe described in section IV, or within an evaluation period authorized under the terms of a successful Financial Aid/Academic Suspension appeal under section VIII.2.B, will be placed on Financial Aid/Academic Suspension. 3) Financial Aid/Academic Probation A) A student who successfully appeals a Financial Aid/Academic Suspension status will be placed on Financial Aid/Academic Probation until the end of the next evaluation period. i) The Financial Aid/Academic Probation status will be lifted if the terms of the appeal are satisfied by the end of the probation period. ii) Failure to satisfy the terms of the appeal by the end of the probation period will result in Financial Aid/Academic Suspension. B) Financial Aid/Academic Probation may not be granted in consecutive evaluation periods. Any consecutive Financial Aid/Academic Suspension may not be appealed. 4) SAP Dismissal A) Students placed on SAP Dismissal will be administratively withdrawn. B) Any student who does not remedy Financial Aid/Academic Suspension by the end of the next evaluation period will be placed on SAP Dismissal. C) Master level students will be placed on SAP Dismissal after being placed on any third Financial Aid/Academic Suspension. D) Doctoral level students will be placed on SAP Dismissal after being placed on any fourth Financial Aid/Academic Suspension.
E) Master to Doctoral students will be placed on SAP Dismissal after being placed on any fourth Financial Aid/Academic Suspension. VII. Remedies 1) SAP Warning Students receiving SAP Warning must improve cumulative pace to at least 67% during the next SAP evaluation. SAP Warning may not be appealed. 2) Financial Aid/Academic Suspension A) Students placed on Financial Aid/Academic Suspension that does not result in SAP Dismissal under section VI.4 must: i) improve cumulative pace to at least 67% by the end of the next SAP evaluation period, OR ii) complete the program prior to the end of the next evaluation period, OR iii) successfully appeal the status, unless ineligible to appeal under section VI.3.B. B) Students who fail to remedy Financial Aid/Academic Suspension will be placed on SAP Dismissal at the end of the next SAP evaluation period. 3) SAP Dismissal SAP Dismissal may not be appealed. The status may, however, be reversed if the student can demonstrate proof that the record does not support the status. VIII. Financial Aid/Academic Suspension Appeals 1) Pace A) Students placed on Financial Aid/Academic Suspension for falling below 67% pace may appeal the status unless: i) Financial Aid/Academic Suspension results in SAP Dismissal under section VI.4, OR
ii) Financial Aid/Academic Suspension is the result of failure to satisfy the terms of a Suspension appeal during a period of Financial Aid/Academic Probation. B) A successful appeal of Financial Aid/Academic Suspension resulting from insufficient pace must include an authorized plan that: i) ensures meeting or exceeding a 67% cumulative pace prior to the end of the next SAP evaluation period, OR ii) ensures completion of all pace-measured coursework and establishes eligibility for registration in either the Master s Project, Thesis, or Doctoral Dissertation prior to the end of the next SAP evaluation period, OR iii) ensures completion of the program prior to the end of the next evaluation period. 2) Culminating Phase A) Students placed on Financial Aid/Academic Suspension for exceeding the time allotment for completing a Project, Thesis, or Dissertation as described in section IV of this policy, or in any authorized completion plan accepted under the terms of this section, may submit an appeal unless: i) Financial Aid/Academic Suspension results in SAP Dismissal under section VI.4, OR ii) Financial Aid/Academic Suspension is the result of failure to complete the Project, Thesis, or Dissertation within the evaluation period that is authorized under the terms of a successful Financial Aid/Academic Suspension appeal under VIII.2.B. B) A successful appeal must include a plan for completion that is approved by the student s committee Chair and is authorized by the student s Degree Chair. i) a successful appeal establishes the SAP evaluation period in which the student must complete the Project, Thesis, or Dissertation. ii) if the Suspension is not appealed, or is appealed unsuccessfully, and does not result in SAP Dismissal under section VI.4, the
student will be evaluated at the end of the next existing period in which the student is otherwise required to be evaluated for SAP. iii) students not completing their degree program within the SAP evaluation period established in the authorized plan will be placed on Financial Aid/Academic Suspension.