College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Hartford’s central and largest college, offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Doctor of Psychology degrees. The Master of Arts is offered in communication and integrated communication, and a Master of Science is offered in organizational psychology and school psychology.

Admission requirements, fees, rules and regulations, and academic programs are presented in official Catalogs of the University. The right to make whatever changes may be deemed necessary, at any time, is specifically reserved. Applicants for graduate degree programs should contact the Center for Graduate and Adult Academic Services at 860.768.4371 or visit www.hartford.edu/graduate.

Admission

All applicants for graduate study must file an official University application with the Center for Graduate and Adult Academic Services. Official transcripts of all undergraduate work must be submitted.

For details about the admissions requirements for particular graduate programs, please see the relevant program website.

Financial Assistance

Each graduate department in the College of Arts and Sciences has a limited number of assistantships and/or fellowships available for qualified students. These awards are based on both merit and need and are usually awarded for the academic year only.

Requests for additional information regarding assistantships and/or fellowships should be directed to the chairman of the department in which the student will study.

Theses

A master’s thesis committee shall consist of at least three members, one of whom must be from the department involved (see the governing policies regarding committee composition established by the individual department for which the thesis is to be completed).

All graduate students preparing to write a thesis must file an Approval of Proposed Thesis form with the chair of the Graduate Studies Committee.  This form must be submitted prior to the student’s beginning his or her research project, must be signed by all members of the thesis committee, and must be forwarded to the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee in the College of Arts and Sciences. Changes in membership of the thesis committee must be approved by the department chair and notification sent to the director of graduate studies.

Thesis/Capstone Continuance Fee

For students who do not complete their thesis or capstone project requirements within a given semester, a grade of I will be issued by the instructor at the time grades are due. Upon completion of the thesis or capstone, the letter grade will be reported to the registrar on a Change of Grade form. Students in Master degree programs who have completed all requirements for the graduate degree, except for the thesis or the capstone project, must pay a thesis continuance fee until the project is completed. Exceptions can be made for the Summerterm. In order to maintain continuous matriculation, the student must register for ZTC 900 Thesis Continuance, 0 credit.

Dissertations

All students in the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology preparing to write a dissertation must file an Approval of Proposed Dissertation form with the chair of the Graduate Studies Committee. This form must be submitted prior to students’ beginning their research projects, must be signed by all members of the dissertation committee, and must be forwarded to the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee for the College of Arts and Sciences. Additional detailed information about the doctoral dissertation guidelines and process may be found in the Doctoral Dissertation Manual.

Dissertation Continuance Fee

Students who have completed all required course work must pay a dissertation continuance fee until the dissertation has been completed, except for students registered for internship. The student will write in the designation CPS 090  (fall), CPS 091  (spring), and CPS 092  (summer), Dissertation Continuance, 0 credit on a registration form.

Comprehensive Examinations

Specific guidelines are provided by individual departments.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Academic progress is a measure of a student’s movement toward a stated degree objective. Graduate students, both full and part time, will be evaluated after they have attempted 6 credits for a provisional acceptance or 9 credits for all other acceptance codes to determine if they are making satisfactory academic progress at the end of the fall, spring, and summer sessions. Satisfactory progress is evidenced by: (a) maintenance of a grade point average (GPA) consistent with the minima outlined below (qualitative satisfactory progress): and (b) an acceptable rate of course completion as outlined below (quantitative satisfactory progress). In addition, departmental reviews of satisfactory performance in the major area of study as specified by the student’s graduate program will occur at the same intervals. If a student does not meet the departmental standards, a warning is issued. If the deficiency is not corrected at the end of the next regular term, the department may recommend academic probation. Final responsibility for knowing whether or not a student is making satisfactory academic progress and/or is in good academic standing rests with the student.

International students, studying on an F-1 or J-1 visa, should consult with their programs and with the International Center about specific immigration regulations regarding academic progress.

Rate of Completion: Master’s degree students are expected to complete all degree requirements within seven years of initial matriculation; doctoral degree students are expected to complete all degree requirements within nine years of initial matriculation. Individual programs may impose shorter time limits. These time limits may be extended upon written request from the student. The request must be approved, in writing, by the chair or graduate program director and by the Arts and Sciences Graduate Studies Committee. Graduate students who have not obtained an extension will be dismissed from the University by the A&S Graduate Studies Committee.

Matriculation Maintenance Fee: In order to maintain their matriculated status, full-time graduate students who have not completed all requirements for the graduate degree, and who will not be enrolled or in attendance during a particular semester, must register for “active status” in the program. Active status registration may be continued for no more than two consecutive semesters. Extension beyond two semesters must be authorized by the dean of the college. Failure to file for an active status extension will result in dismissal from the University and require the student to reapply for admission. Part-time graduate students need not register each semester to maintain their matriculated status. However, part-time students who have not registered for three consecutive regular semesters, nor for any summer session during the three-semester period immediately previous must request an extension or they shall be required to reapply for admission.

Leave of Absence: A leave of absence may be granted to degree candidates involved in approved off-campus study programs for up to two semesters. Requests for a leave of absence for other personal reasons will be considered. Students applying for a leave of absence must secure permission from the department involved, register for “active status,” and pay a fee. Failure to conform to this procedure would necessitate reapplication for matriculated status upon return to the University.

Grade Point Average: In order to make satisfactory progress toward a degree, graduate students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 during all portions of their academic career after attempting 9 credit hours.

Determination of Satisfactory Academic Progress

Review: For the purpose of determining a student’s satisfactory academic progress in the University, all graduate students are reviewed at the end of each semester after they have attempted 9 credits. Each student’s qualitative and quantitative progress (i.e., GPA, rate of completion, and performance in the area of study, as defined by the degree program) will be evaluated at the end of the fall and spring semester, as well as the end of the summer session.

Departmental Warnings: Graduate program directors may issue departmental warnings to graduate students who do not meet standards in their major area but are otherwise making satisfactory academic progress, defined as GPA of at least 3.0. Upon receipt of a warning, students should consult immediately with their advisers to determine actions to correct the deficiencies.

Graduate program directors are responsible for reviewing students in their specified program and for informing the Dean or Designee and the A&S Graduate Studies Committee in case of less than satisfactory academic progress.

The A&S Graduate Studies committee will review the records of those students who do not meet the standards for satisfactory academic standing to determine if academic standing action is warranted.

Notification: No later than two weeks after receiving less than satisfactory progress report from the student’s designated graduate program director, the Dean or Designee will notify in writing (electronically) each student who has not made satisfactory qualitative and/or quantitative academic progress. Students are notified in writing by the Dean or Designee if they are placed on academic probation or academically dismissed from the University, with copies to the A&S Dean’s Office, Graduate Dean, Graduate Studies, International Studies Advisor, Financial Aid, Registrar, Vice-President of Student Affairs, Associate Provost, Provost, and President.

Academic Standing Actions

In the event of less than satisfactory academic progress, the College employs two official actions: academic probation and academic dismissal.

Academic Probation

GPA Deficiency: Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation.

Course Completion Rate Deficiency: Graduate students who do not meet the standards for course rate completion specified by their program may be recommended for probation or dismissal to the A&S Graduate Studies committee.
Those who are placed on probation are eligible to continue to enroll at the University. The student may not be considered for financial aid until they have satisfied the requirements for satisfactory academic standing.

Subsequent Action: Graduate students who are placed on academic probation should consult immediately with their graduate program directors to determine the actions necessary to correct the deficiencies.

At the end of fall, spring, and summer term, the graduate director of the specified program will review the records of students who have been placed on probation during the previous semester. Students who have corrected the deficiencies will be removed from probation after approval from the A&S Graduate Studies Committee. If students have not corrected the deficiencies, the A&S Graduate Studies Committee may keep them on probation or dismiss them from the University.

Academic Dismissal

Graduate students whose grade point average is 0.5 (five tenths of one point) below the College minimum of 3.0 may be academically dismissed from the University by the A&S Graduate Studies Committee. Graduate students who fail to complete their programs by the date specified and who have not obtained an extension will be dismissed from the University by the A&S Graduate Studies Committee. Students who have been placed on academic probation and have not corrected the deficiencies within one semester may be continued on probation or dismissed from the University by the A&S Graduate Studies Committee. Students who have been dismissed are ineligible to attend any credit classes at the University.

Appeal of Academic Progress Actions

Students may appeal the decision of the A&S Graduate Studies Committee. For information about appeals of academic progress actions, please consult the Manual of Academic Policies and Procedures (MAPP).

Bases for Appeals

Students may appeal academic standing actions only on the basis of procedural irregularities or on the basis of mitigating circumstances. Appeals based on mitigating circumstances should include explanations of the circumstances, a description of their effect on performance, and discussion of the actions taken to minimize or eliminate these circumstances and their effects.

Requirements for Degree

Graduation requirements in any program include completion of the indicated total number of credit hours in that program with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher. All courses applied toward the graduate degree must be taken on a letter-grade basis unless specified otherwise by the designated program.

Degree application must be accompanied by graduation fee. The application must be filed with the college evaluator in accordance with the deadline date published in the Academic Calendar. The following requirements must be met.

• The results of language examinations, comprehensives, and oral defenses must be submitted to the Office of the Dean at least one week prior to Commencement.
• Satisfactory completion of one of the prescribed curricula
• Payment of all outstanding fees
• Vote of faculty, trustees, and regents

Transfer Credits

A maximum of 9 credits for master’s programs may be transferred from accredited institutions outside the Greater Hartford Consortium for Higher Education. The Doctor of Psychology program, the Master of Science in Organizational Psychology program, and the Master of Science in Computer Science program are capped at 6 credits.

A minimum grade of B at the graduate level is required for transfer credit. These credits will be accepted upon written approval of the department chair or graduate program director concerned. Approval must be obtained at the time of matriculation or prior to registration for any off-campus course. Such prior notification is the responsibility of the student.

It should be noted that there are some courses that may not be waived unless taken at the doctoral level and other courses (e.g., Psychological Assessment III, Practicum, Professional Practice Seminar, and clinical electives) that may not be waived under any circumstances.

Doctoral Program (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology

Ninety-six credits are required for the Psy.D.

The following is information on the Graduate Institute of Professional Psychology’s (GIPP) policy on transfer of credit and waiver of required courses for applicants with a master’s degree or higher:

Doctoral: For students coming from an American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited doctoral program in clinical, counseling, or school psychology, a maximum of 32 transfer credits and waiver of similar courses may be granted, as long as the student has received a grade of A- or higher.

Master’s: For students with the M.A. degree in clinical practices from the University of Hartford, a maximum of 32 credits and waiver of similar courses may be granted, as long as the student has received a grade of A- or higher.

For students with a non-University of Hartford master’s degree, credits may not be transferred. A waiver may be given only if the instructor of the equivalent course at GIPP deems the other course to be doctoral-level equivalent and the student has received a grade of A- or higher.

Other elective courses must be taken in lieu of waived courses.

In addition, in all of the above circumstances, students must still have at least two years in residence at the Graduate Institute of Professional Psychology. All waivers must be signed by the GIPP’s associate director. All students must take 9 clinical elective credits (three 3-credit elective seminars) in the doctoral program and may not use previously taken courses as substitutes for these clinical electives.

The following courses may be waived only if taken at the doctoral level:

Advanced Psychopathology
Dissertation Seminar
Professional Seminar: Diversity
Professional Seminar: Ethics
Individual Psychotherapy
Advanced Research Design in Clinical Psychology

Nonwaivable/nontransferable courses (even if taken at the doctoral level):

Case Conference Seminar I and II
Practicum I, II, III, and IV
Professional Practice Seminar I and II
Psychological Assessment III (even if taken in the University of Hartford’s master’s program)
Three elective clinical courses*

*All students must also take a minimum of three elective clinical courses while in residence.