Graduate Study

Office of Graduate Programs
251 Frances Willson Thompson Library
(810) 762-3171
Fax: (810) 766-6789
Email: FlintGradOffice@umich.edu
www.umflint.edu/graduateprograms

Director of Graduate Programs: Christopher A. Lewis, Ed.D.
Assistant Director: Debbie Samida
Business Administrator: Mary Deibis
Recruitment and Communications Specialist: Erin Strom
Administrative Assistant Senior: Jaquetta Redwine
Student Administrative Assistant Associate: Theresa Kennedy

The Office of Graduate Programs manages graduate education and oversees graduate admissions at the University of Michigan-Flint. The office collaborates with the colleges and schools to coordinate recruitment and retention efforts. 

Programs

The University of Michigan-Flint offers over 50 graduate degree and certificate programs. A complete list of all available graduate programs is available under Program Listings .

Students who have been admitted into other University of Michigan graduate programs and are in good standing may register for graduate courses at the University of Michigan-Flint but are advised to seek assistance regarding procedures
from their respective campuses. Information on graduate degree programs offered by the University of Michigan-Flint is available in the Office of Graduate Programs.

Grades

Instructors enter grades on the student’s permanent academic record. Students may elect courses without letter grades, either as a visit (audit) or for Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading. A visit (audit) does not count for credit, but a
grade of S does. Courses in which grades of D or E are earned cannot be used to fulfill degree requirements.

Coursework is graded with a letter system (A, B, C, D, or E) except for special courses noted below. An instructor may add ”+” or “-” to grades. Letter grades are converted into numbers, or points, as follows:

• A+ = 4.0
• A = 4.0
• A- = 3.7
• B+ = 3.3
• B = 3.0
• B- = 2.7
• C+ = 2.3
• C = 2.0
• C- = 1.7
• D+ = 1.3
• D = 1.0
• D- = 0.7

These numbers are used to calculate Michigan Honor Points (MHP) and the Grade Point Average (GPA).  Michigan Honor Points (MHP) are calculated by multiplying the number of credit hours for which the course was elected by the number of points
earned on the grading scale. For example, a grade of B for a 3 credit hour course produces 3 (credit hours) x 3.0 (points for a grade of B) or 9 honor points. The grade point average (GPA) is calculated by dividing Michigan Honor Points earned for a
term or more by the number of letter-graded semester hours (or credit hours) for the courses. A total of 45 MHP for 12 course credit hours produces a GPA of 3.75.

Other transcript notations include:

Visit (V). V appears on the transcript of students who successfully complete a course they have elected to visit (audit). These courses do not count for degree credit requirements.

Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U). The graduate program designates courses for which S/U grading is used. With permission from the advisor and the course instructor, a student may elect S/U grading in a course that would otherwise be letter-graded. 
This option may not be elected after the end of the first two weeks of the semester, nor changed to credit with grade after the announced deadline for dropping classes. Instructors cannot assign letter grades to students electing courses designated as S/U.
A grade of “S” indicates that the instructor considers the student to have performed satisfactorily at the graduate level and is counted toward the credit hour requirements of the graduate program. A grade of “S” is considered a grade of “B” or better. A grade
of “U” is assigned when a graduate student’s performance level is unacceptable and not counted toward a student’s required credit hours. Grades of “S” and “U” are not converted into numbers and factored into the Grade Point Average or Michigan Honor Points.

Incomplete (I). A student may receive a grade of Incomplete (“I”) only if the coursework remaining to be done by the end of the semester is small and the instructor approves an extension for completing the unfinished work. The instructor must agree to this
arrangement and determine a deadline for finishing the assigned work before assigning a grade. The notation of “I” remains a permanent part of the academic record. When coursework is completed to the instructor’s satisfaction, the grade will appear on the
transcript as, for example, “IB+.” The grade point average is based only on hours of coursework completed.

Drop (W) and Unofficial Drop (ED). A course officially dropped after the first two weeks of a full term will be recorded with the notation of “W” and will not earn credit hours toward the degree program or Michigan Honor Points. A student who registers for a course
and either never attends or stops attending–but does not officially drop the course–receives a notation of “ED” (unofficial drop). A notation of “ED” is equivalent to a grade of “E” (failure).

Multi-Term Course (Y). Graduate programs may designate a graduate course as a multi-term course. The instructor may report a “Y” grade at the end of the first term to indicate that the work is still in progress. When a final grade is reported, the grade will be
posted, and the “Y” notation will be removed.

Students may graduate with a Y, I, or * grade on their transcripts if the course does not count toward their degree requirements.

Academic Standing

A student in good academic standing:

• is making satisfactory progress toward the completion of degree requirements and is within the time limits of the degree program, including approved extensions;
• is demonstrating an ability to succeed in the degree program; and
• has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B) or better.

Certain graduate programs may have requirements above the university minimum for maintaining satisfactory academic standing.

A student whose cumulative GPA falls below a B (3.0 on a 4.0-point scale) in a given term will be placed on academic probation for the following term of enrollment. The student will not be awarded a graduate degree or certificate during the probationary term. Upon
the recommendation of the department chair or program director, a student may be allowed to correct the educational and/or academic deficiency. Graduate programs may also require students to achieve minimum grades in the overall program of study and/or in
particular courses.

When last enrolled in the graduate program, a student on probation who wishes to be reinstated or change programs or degree level must petition the graduate program to modify the conditions of academic standing or discipline. The petition should provide reasons
for the poor academic record, explain how conditions that produced this poor performance have changed, and present specific improvement plans. The graduate program must approve the petition before a student can be reinstated.

A student may be required to withdraw or be dismissed. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below a B (3.0 on a 4.0 point scale), who is not making satisfactory progress toward the degree, or who is failing to demonstrate an ability to succeed in their plan of studies 
may be denied permission to register, required to withdraw, or dismissed from the program.

Students may also be dismissed for failing to meet the standards of academic and professional integrity.

A program must provide the student with written notification of the grounds for dismissal.

Transfer of Credit

To recognize graduate credits earned in other accredited institutions of higher education and other schools and colleges of the University of Michigan, the University of Michigan-Flint has policies that provide for the transfer of graduate credit to its master’s degree programs. 
Credit may be transferred per these policies only if it is to be used to meet master’s degree requirements. (This policy does not govern the credit transfer into doctoral or certificate programs at UM-Flint; doctoral and certificate programs set their own policies.)

Course credits must be transferred in total or not at all. The transferred credit appears on the UM-Flint graduate record, but the associated grades received for this credit do not appear and are not computed in the student’s cumulative GPA (with the exception of credits
earned through the Michigan Intercollegiate Graduate Studies program). Credit from all quarter-system schools will be transferred according to the standard ratio of two semester hours for three-quarter hours or two-thirds of a semester hour for each quarter-hour.

For Rackham programs, please see the Rackham School of Graduate Studies Programs  section of this Catalog for the policy. For all other UM-Flint master’s degree programs, the policy is as follows:

UM-Flint differentiates between two types of course credit that may be transferred to its non-Rackham programs:

1. Graduate credits completed in residence at another accredited institution (other than the University of Michigan); or 
2. Non-UM-Flint graduate credits completed in another University of Michigan school or college, e.g., Rackham School of Graduate Studies (any campus), University of Michigan-Dearborn, Ross School of Business, etc.

Outside Institution Transfer of Credit Policy: Up to nine (9) semester hours required for a master’s degree program may be transferred from any combination of the above institutions to a student’s UM-Flint graduate record. Graduate programs may elect to allow
fewer than nine semester hours or prohibit transfer credits.* Such credit may be transferred only for approved graduate-level courses and if all of the conditions below are met. (Please note there are variations on the number of credits a program may allow for transfer;
check each program’s section in this Catalog for a specific limit on transfer credit.)

University of Michigan System Transfer of Credit Policy: Up to one-half (1/2) the minimum number of credit hours required for a master’s degree program may be transferred to a student’s UM-Flint graduate record from both category one and two sources combined.
Such credit may be transferred only for approved graduate-level courses and if all of the conditions below are met.

Conditions That Must Be Met To Transfer Credit:

• Student must be in a master’s degree program.
• Students must submit official final undergraduate transcripts/credentials.
• Submission to the Office of Graduate Programs of the completed transfer of credit form signed by the student and the department or program graduate chair signifying approval along with a current official final transcript from the institution to which you wish to transfer the
  credit.

Courses Cannot Be Transferred for Credit If:

• Already applied in whole or in part, in any way, toward any undergraduate degree, graduate degree, or certificate.
• Credit(s) will be applied in whole or in part, in any way, towards any other current or future U-M degree or certificate.
• Taken more than five years before first enrollment in the present UM-Flint graduate program.
• A grade below “B” was earned.
• Graduate-level work was not done.

Courses taken while enrolled as an undergraduate may be reviewed for transfer to the student’s graduate record if:

• The courses have been approved for graduate credit by the institution’s graduate school.
• The Registrar or Senior Auditor of the granting institution certifies that the courses were not used in whole or in part, in any way, to meet the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Courses taken while enrolled as an undergraduate are not acceptable for graduate credit if:

• The courses were taken at an exclusively undergraduate institution.
• The courses were taken for undergraduate credit.

*UM-Flint-approved articulation agreements with other institutions may increase the number of credits allowed for transfer.

Criteria for Full-Time Enrollment

In general, graduate students are considered full-time for reporting, financial aid, and general enrollment certification with the following registration:

Fall or Winter - 8+ credits (4-7 credits is half-time)
Summer - 4 credits (2-3 credits is half-time)

Criteria for full-time enrollment for tuition/fee assessment and international students maintaining student visas differ. See the website for more information.

UM-Flint Degree Requirements

1. Graduate students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours.
2. Each Doctoral program is different. Students should refer to their specific program requirements for the minimum number of required credit hours.
3. Graduate and Doctoral students must have earned a minimum grade point average of 3.0 to graduate.
4. Graduate and Doctoral students are required to officially apply to graduate with the Office of the Registrar.

Dual Degree Programs

The University of Michigan-Flint arranges students to pursue two degrees simultaneously. Dual or Joint-Degree Graduate Programs  leads to two different degree citations on the transcript and two separate diplomas. The purpose of a dual degree program is to allow students to
undertake complementary graduate study programs simultaneously through streamlined curricular arrangements that allow double-counting of some courses. UM-Flint offers several pre-approved dual degree programs and allows students to initiate dual degree programs
independently.

*Tuition rates for the dual degree programs are charged at the primary degree rate. A primary degree is defined as a higher degree. E.g., DPT would always be the primary degree in the dual DPT/MBA programs. If both degrees are the same level (e.g., dual MS
in CSIS/MBA), the primary degree is defined as the first degree to which a student was admitted. More information is available here. 

Thesis and Dissertation

Students enrolled in a graduate program for which a thesis or dissertation is completed over more than two semesters are encouraged to work with their academic advisor for specific guidelines to maintain university access past the one-year activity requirement. 

Doctoral Degree Milestones

Research doctorate programs at UM-Flint that include a dissertation shall recognize milestones including examinations, advancing to candidacy, and dissertation completion on official university records. The following events are to be noted on the academic transcript:

• Candidacy Examinations: Doctoral programs define the names and types of examinations required to advance to candidacy. Those terms include “Qualifying Examination,” “Preliminary Examination,” and “Comprehensive Examination.” These items shall be noted on
  the transcript with their effective dates (defined as “pass” dates). They shall be noted and appear on the transcript within 30 days of passage.
• Advance to Candidacy: When all coursework, examinations, and other program requirements are completed, “Advance to Candidacy” shall be noted on the transcript with its effective date. This shall be noted within 30 days of its effective date.
• Dissertation: When the dissertation has been completed, approved, and defended, “Dissertation,” its title, pass date, and the names and titles of the dissertation committee members shall be noted on the transcript. This shall be noted at the time the degree is posted.

Financial Aid

Graduate scholarship, fellowship, grant, and research assistantship information may be viewed online. Information is also available under “Financial Aid” in the Financial Information  section of this Catalog.

Tuition and Fees

Please refer to the Student Accounts website for tuition and fee rates.

Residency Classification

Please refer to the “University of Michigan In-State Tuition Classification Guidelines” in the Financial Information  section of this Catalog.

Time to Completion

A student enrolled in a graduate program within the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies is expected to complete all degree requirements within five years from the date of first enrollment in the master’s program. Students exceeding this limit must submit
a petition to Rackham OARD requesting additional time to complete the program. More information is available here. 

University of Michigan-Flint graduate programs not offered through Rackham may have their own time limit policies. See that program’s catalog page for specific information on time limits (if any).

UM-Flint Undergraduate Students Who Wish to Elect a Graduate Course

University of Michigan-Flint courses numbered 500 and above require graduate standing. Under exceptional circumstances, UM-Flint undergraduate students in good academic standing may elect a graduate-level course if they are in one of the following groups:

• Students with bachelor’s degrees who are enrolled in the final year of their teacher certification program (TCP) may, with special permission, elect a graduate course. The course will not count toward their TCP requirements.
• Students within nine (9) hours of completing the requirements for their bachelor’s degree, who, in addition to electing their undergraduate coursework, wish to elect a graduate course, may do so with special permission. The graduate credit earned may not count towards their undergraduate
  degree requirements.
• Students who have attained senior status may, with special permission, elect a graduate course to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements. Upon successful completion of the course, a memo will need to be sent from the student’s academic department/program to the Office of the Registrar
  stating that the course counts towards the student’s undergraduate degree requirements. A notation will be placed on both the undergraduate and graduate transcripts indicating that the course counts towards the fulfillment of undergraduate degree requirements. The course will physically
  remain on the graduate transcript. Graduate courses used to meet undergraduate degree requirements may not be used to meet graduate degree requirements. (This does not apply to students enrolled in a joint undergraduate/graduate degree program.) Graduate courses taken to meet
  undergraduate degree requirements may not be reelected at the graduate level.

Additional details, including the process for requesting approval, are available here. 

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