Rackham School of Graduate Studies Programs

The University of Michigan-Flint offers two graduate degree programs through the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies: the Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) with concentrations in American Culture and Theatre and Community and the Master of Public Administration (MPA) with concentrations in Criminal Justice Administration, Educational Administration, Health Care Administration, and Administration of Nonprofit Agencies.

Admission to Rackham School Programs

The Office of Graduate Programs administers applications for graduate degrees offered at the University of Michigan-Flint through the Rackham Graduate School. The application, as well as detailed information about procedures, requirements, fees, and deadlines, is available online at umflint.edu/graduateprograms. The procedure for applying for admission includes filing a completed application, one official transcript from each college and university attended, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and an application fee. Applicants to the Educational Administration concentration of the MPA program must also submit a copy of their teaching certificate. A cumulative undergraduate 3.0 grade point average is expected of each applicant, although this should not prevent a highly motivated applicant with a somewhat lower average from applying. Each program has additional requirements, which are described under the program listing.

There are three types of admission:

Regular: Regular admission is granted to applicants who satisfy all admission requirements of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies and of the program to which they have applied. For a student to have regular admission status, the Office of Graduate Programs must be provided with an official transcript (i.e., one bearing the official seal of the school and the Registrar’s signature) indicating award of the bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

Conditional: Conditional admission may be granted to applicants who do not satisfy all admission requirements of the Graduate School. An applicant granted conditional admission must fulfill the following requirements before any degree milestones will be recorded in the official academic record: No later than the end of the first term of enrollment, a student who has been admitted before completing the requirements for a bachelor’s degree must submit to the Office of Graduate Programs a final and official transcript indicating satisfactory completion of all coursework and the title of the degree and date of its conferral. If the conferral is recorded on a document other than the transcript, this certificate must be submitted. An applicant with a University of Michigan-Flint undergraduate degree does not need to provide a transcript.

Probationary: In some circumstances, applicants who do not meet the required minimum grade point average for the number of credits specified may, with the approval of program faculty, be granted probationary admission.

Transfer of Credit

Graduate credits may be transferred to master’s degree programs in accordance with the policies of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, available at http://www.rackham.umich.edu/policies/gsh. In general, Rackham master’s students may transfer graduate credit from other accredited degree-granting universities with graduate degree programs. Students may transfer up to six credit hours for courses taken at universities that use the semester system, or up to nine credit hours (the equivalent of six semester hours) for universities that use the quarter system. Students may transfer credit from non-Rackham University of Michigan graduate programs, including those offered on the Ann Arbor or Dearborn campuses, including graduate-level courses taken while pursuing an undergraduate degree. Students may transfer up to half the credit hours required for the Rackham master’s degree from U-M sources. Students may transfer credits from a combination of non-University of Michigan and non-Rackham/University of Michigan programs; students may transfer up to half the credit hours required from this combination of sources. Please contact the Administrative Specialist for more information concerning transfer of credit.

Readmission

Students who have not been enrolled in the Graduate School for more than one year (12 months) must apply to the Office of Graduate Programs for readmission. Readmission is dependent upon departmental approval and upon availability of space and facilities for the term in which readmission is requested. International students seeking readmission will need to certify proof of adequate funding in order for the International Center to issue the appropriate documents to obtain a visa. If a student seeking readmission was on probationary admission, academic probation, or extended probation, that standing will continue in effect if readmission is granted, unless the program and Dean of Graduate Programs remove or modify the status. If a student is dismissed or required to withdraw, readmission may be granted only by obtaining approval of the program and the Dean of Graduate Programs. Readmission applications are available from the Office of Graduate Programs, 251 Thompson Library, or online at http://www.umflint.edu/graduateprograms/readmission.htm.

Change of Program

Students may apply to change from one graduate program to another within the Rackham Graduate School. This change requires full consideration by the new program’s admissions committee. The student should contact the Office of Graduate Programs for information about the required application and supporting materials, and must submit a UM-Flint/Rackham application form for Readmission, Change of Field, or Dual Degree, available at http://www.umflint.edu/graduateprograms/change_concentration.htm.

Academic Standing and Academic Discipline

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 graduate grade point average of “B” (5.00) or better.

Each graduate student should discuss periodically with his or her advisor whether the department finds the student to be performing satisfactorily and making sufficient progress toward the degree. Departments should immediately notify students in writing when their performance falls below an acceptable level.

In response to a student’s academic deficiencies, the University may take any of the following actions that affect the student’s academic status: 1) admit a student on probationary status; 2) place a continuing student on probation; 3) require a student to withdraw from the University; or 4) not confer a degree or certificate.

A student whose cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) falls below a B (5.00 on a 9 point scale) in a given term or half term will be placed on academic probation for the following term or half term of enrollment. During that term, such a student will not be awarded a graduate degree or certificate and cannot transfer credit to a Rackham master’s program or be allowed to change his or her program (i.e., dual degree, change of field, etc.). Upon the recommendation of the graduate chair, and with the consent of the Dean of Graduate Programs, a student may be granted an opportunity to correct the scholastic and/or academic deficiency. In addition to these requirements, degree programs may require students to achieve minimum grades in the overall program of study and/or in particular courses.

A student on probation when last enrolled in the Graduate School who wishes to be readmitted or change fields or degree level, must petition the department or program and the Dean of Graduate Programs 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 plans for improvement. The department or program must approve the petition before a student can re-enroll.

A student who is not making satisfactory progress or has failed to demonstrate the ability to succeed in his or her program may be required to withdraw or be dismissed. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below a B (5.00 on a 9 point scale) may be denied permission to register, required to withdraw, or dismissed from the program. Other reasons for withdrawal or dismissal may include not making satisfactory progress toward the degree, or failing to demonstrate an ability to succeed in his or her plan of studies. Students may also be dismissed for failing to meet the standards of academic and professional integrity.

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

Grades and Transcripts

To maintain satisfactory academic standing, graduate students must make satisfactory progress toward their degrees and have a minimum Rackham cumulative grade point average (GPA) of B (5.00 on a 9 point scale). Programs and departments may have separate requirements for grades necessary to maintain satisfactory academic standing. Students who fall below this average are placed on academic probation. 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 PUB 590; Internship, in which a graduate student may receive a “P” or “F” grade. See the “Graduate Study” section of this catalog for details on the grading and honor points system.

Time Limit to Complete Degree

A student in a master’s program is expected to complete all work within five years from the date of first enrollment in the program. Students exceeding this time limit must file a petition for modification or waiver of regulation with the Administrative Specialist. Petitions must describe explicitly the amount of work remaining and a timeline for completion. A student who fails to complete degree requirements within five years may be withdrawn and required to apply for readmission.

Residency Requirement

Master’s students must complete at least one-half of the minimum required credit hours on the home campus, i.e., the campus on which the degree program is administered. Rackham does not require that these credits be concentrated in a certain number of terms, but individual programs may have such a requirement. Courses taken on a visited (audited) basis do not fulfill the residency requirement.

Application for Degree

A student who has completed all work must apply for graduation online through the Office of the Registrar at http://www.umflint.edu/registrar/gradapp.htm. Students must apply for graduation by the published deadline to have their names published in the commencement program. A student who fails to complete all requirements during the term in which the degree application is submitted must reapply to be considered again for the degree. Master’s diplomas are not distributed at commencement, but are mailed seven to eight weeks later.

Other Academic Policies and Procedures

All Flint Rackham students are held accountable for all policies and procedures of the Rackham School of Graduate Studies and the University of Michigan-Flint. Visit http://www.rackham.umich.edu/policies/article/gsh for further information on Rackham policies and umflint.edu/graduateprograms or the “Graduate Study” section of this catalog for more information about the University of Michigan-Flint policies.