Academic and Professional Progress (approved September 3, 2014)
Monitoring the academic progress of graduate student and graduate teaching assistants on a regular basis is important to their success and to the success of Auburn’s graduate programs. The Graduate School requires that each department conduct—at least on an annual basis—an evaluation of the progress of each graduate student enrolled in a doctoral program and each Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA). Departments are also encouraged to monitor the progress of all other degree-seeking students. Annually, each department will report to the Graduate School, confirming that the evaluation of all doctoral students and GTAs has been completed.
The student’s advisory committee monitors each graduate student’s progress toward a degree, and issues of professional and personal development may be considered. While failure to maintain academic standards is reason for dismissal, a student also may be dismissed from the Graduate School if progress is unsatisfactory in other areas.
In such cases, the advisory committee will prepare a statement of grievance and discuss it in a meeting with the student. The statement must have the unanimous support of all members of the committee. The student will be warned that corrective measures must be taken within a specified time to avoid action that might result in dismissal. The committee determines the period allowed for correction. Copies of the statement of grievance and summary of the meeting will be provided to the student, the department head/chair, and the academic dean.
If the deficiency is not corrected within the time allowed by the committee, a statement reiterating the grievance and recommending dismissal should be sent to the graduate dean with copies to the student, the department head/chair, and the academic dean.
The graduate dean will give the student an opportunity to respond and will make a final determination. The student and the advisory committee will be notified.
The action taken will not appear on the student’s official transcript, and release of information is restricted under the University’s policy on the confidentiality of student records.
Conditional Admission Policy (approved October 6, 2014)
First-time applicants to Auburn University’s Graduate School who hold the bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution (or who provide proof of equivalent training from a recognized academic institution outside the United States) and who are otherwise academically qualified but who do not meet certain other requirements for admission may be admitted on a conditional basis.
These other requirements include but are not limited to the following: 1) scores above the minimum required on standardized tests of English language proficiency, 2) scores above the minimum required on the GRE or GMAT, or 3) the submission of official documentation (e.g., transcripts).
Departments may set higher standards or may not consider students for conditional admission.
International students whose English language proficiency is marginally below the Graduate School’s required levels are required to enroll in Auburn University’s Intensive English Program and satisfy proficiency requirements before enrolling in graduate-level course work.
Other students who are admitted on a conditional basis are given an opportunity to demonstrate that they can perform graduate-level work and can be expected to make reasonable progress toward earning a graduate degree. They may also be required to remedy deficiencies in undergraduate preparation by taking upper-division courses.
Conditionally admitted students must demonstrate their ability to perform at the graduate level by obtaining a “B” grade point average (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) in their first 12 semester hours of graduate-level work. These 12 semester hours must be completed within the first three consecutive semesters following admission.
Students admitted on a conditional basis will be fully admitted to the Graduate School only when all conditions for admission have been met, including the completion of at least 12 semester hours of approved graduate-level courses at Auburn University with a grade point average of at least 3.0.
Students admitted conditionally who fail to satisfy all conditions for admission within the allotted time period will be dismissed from the Graduate School.
Last modified: December 20, 2016