Academic Policies and Procedures

General Information

Catalog

Students must meet the degree requirements of the catalog in effect in the academic term they began coursework and were admitted to that degree program. Students may opt to select a later catalog for a year in which they were enrolled. Changing to a later catalog must be officially requested through the Office of the University Registrar via Program Change form sent from the student’s Chapman email account, described in a later section below. Changes to a later catalog will not be processed during the registration appointment periods in April and November. Students have a one academic term grace period to assess the changes in their new requirements during which they may return to their original catalog. After the grace period, the change in catalog year is irreversible. Other than the degree requirements, students must adhere to the academic requirements and to policies and procedures in place in the current catalog. Such requirements include, but are not limited to, course prerequisites, minimum grades for transfer work, probation and dismissal criteria, and the student code of conduct. Statements in the catalog are for informational purposes and do not constitute a contract between students and the University. Information regarding any changes in degree programs, graduation requirements, or academic policies is made available by the appropriate academic units. For more information on policies and procedures, consult the graduate student handbook and your graduate program’s handbook.

Student Responsibility and Academic Advising

The University honors its published academic policies and procedures, including required courses for degree conferral. The student is responsible for their program, including meeting the published requirements and deadlines. The University assists the student in making appropriate decisions by providing academic advising. However, the decisions made in the academic advising process are those of the student.

Transfer Credits and Concurrent Enrollment

• Unless stated elsewhere in the program’s requirements section of the Graduate Catalog, a maximum number of credits as stipulated below may be transferred into graduate programs. Some degree programs limit transfers to elective courses only; consult the appropriate program section of the catalog. Students are responsible for all material covered on comprehensive examinations required by specific graduate degrees.
  • 6 credits accepted in transfer for graduate programs that require 39 graduate credits or less.
  • 9 credits accepted in transfer for graduate programs that require 40-59 credits.
  • 12 credits accepted in transfer for graduate programs that require 60 credits or more.
• Master’s students who wish to transfer prior coursework must seek program approval for transfer within one academic term after achieving regular admission. Doctoral students who wish to transfer prior coursework must seek program approval for transfer within one academic year after achieving regular admission. Programs must respond to requests for transfer approval in writing to the student and such documentation must be submitted with the transfer request to the Office of the University Registrar within the specified time frame.
• After admission to a graduate program, a concurrent enrollment graduate petition must be approved by the graduate program and submitted to the Office of the University Registrar prior to enrollment in coursework at another institution. Credits taken in concurrent enrollment count toward the total allowable transfer credits. (The Graduate Petition form is available online at the Office of the University Registrar’s webpage www.chapman.edu/registrar).
• The coursework must be taken at a regionally accredited institution.
• The coursework must be graduate level or accepted in a Chapman graduate degree program. Correspondence and extension courses are not transferable.
• Credit is not awarded for life or work experience.
• A grade no lower than “B-” (2.700) must have been earned in the course presented for transfer for all graduate degrees. Courses granted Credit (CR) or Pass (P) are not transferable.
• The coursework must be relevant to the degree program.
• Transfer coursework must have been taken within seven years of completion of the degree program.
• Official transcripts must be submitted.
• If the credits accepted in transfer are not the equivalent of the minimum required number of credits, additional coursework must be taken to complete degree credit requirements.
• Requests for transfer of military coursework will be considered as fulfilling prerequisites and elective requirements only (no core courses) for those programs that accept military credit. Coursework must meet all other transfer requirements.
• In the event that the content of one or more of the required courses is waived but the coursework is not accepted in transfer, the student must select a substitute with approval of the program director or designee for additional credits.
• Course credit received for graduate courses that are entirely competency-based are not transferable.
• No internship nor practicum credit is accepted in transfer.

Attendance Policy

Class attendance policies are determined by each instructor, consistent with applicable University policy, and are included in the course syllabus distributed at the beginning of each term. The University recommends as a minimal policy that students who are absent 20 percent of the course should be failed unless extenuating circumstances apply such as reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Students who do not attend the first class session of a course in which they are registered may be administratively dropped unless they make arrangements with the instructor and obtain their approval prior to the first class session.

Address Change

Students must notify the University of any change in their addresses or phone numbers. Such changes may be made through the online student center, or a notification to the Office of the University Registrar via email at registrar@chapman.edu from the student’s chapman.edu email address.

Definition of Business Day

The term “business day” as used in the Graduate Catalog is limited to weekdays when the University is open for business; it specifically excludes weekends, University holidays, and other days on which the University is closed for business. Communications received after operating hours (normally 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or on a day the University is closed will be considered received on the following business day.

Degree Requirements

Admission to the Degree Program

With the exception of the Doctor of Pharmacy, admission is based upon possession of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and the fulfillment of requirements as specified for each program. Students accepted into integrated graduate degree programs prior to the awarding of their baccalaureate degree are not officially admitted to the graduate program until after the baccalaureate degree is conferred.

Undergraduate Prerequisites for Graduate Programs

Broad program prerequisites and specific course prerequisites are intended to improve the educational experience of the learner. The university recognizes that educational differences exist among individuals and encourages graduate students to work closely with their academic advisors to plan for personal needs and academic excellence.

• Students must complete all prerequisites within the first year of graduate coursework at Chapman University. It is recommended prerequisites be completed within the first academic term of enrollment.
• Students may not enroll in any course that specifies a prerequisite unless the prerequisite has been completed.
• Students may not enroll concurrently in the prerequisite for a course and the course that specifies the prerequisite (unless the Graduate Catalog permits concurrent enrollment).
• Unless stated otherwise in a degree program’s requirements, a grade of “C+” or higher is required in all coursework used to fulfill prerequisites.
• Prerequisite courses may be fulfilled by courses that are competency-based at the discretion of the program.
• Only courses listed as part of a student’s degree requirements count toward financial aid enrollment and eligibility. Please contact the Office of the University Registrar to determine if a prerequisite course meets this criterion.

Time Limitation

It is important that graduate students be current in their fields of study when they graduate. Therefore, all requirements for graduate degrees and credential programs, including courses accepted for transfer credit from other institutions, must be completed within the immediate seven years prior to the date of degree conferral. To request an exception to this policy a student must submit a Graduate Petition form to the Office of the University Registrar. The student’s program adviser and associate dean must submit a written statement of support for the petition. The Graduate Academic Council will review the petition and notify the student of their decision.

Continuous Enrollment

Graduate students must meet the University’s continuous enrollment criteria, as well as their program’s enrollment requirement, to be considered active students and have access to University resources.

In year-round, twelve-month programs, graduate students are required to enroll in courses every term (fall/spring/summer). In nine-month programs, graduate students must enroll in all terms required by their respective programs, which at a minimum includes fall and spring terms.

Regardless of whether the term is required by the program, graduate students

• taking any Chapman-administered examination that is part of a degree program (e.g., qualifying or comprehensive exams),
• proposing or defending a thesis or dissertation, or
• having faculty members read and comment on a thesis or dissertation

must be enrolled in a minimum of one graduate credit, with the following exceptions:

• Late defense/library submission exception: Students who miss the stated deadlines (see Associate Vice President for Graduate Education website at www.chapman.edu/vpge) for defense/library submission in a given term may have their degrees conferred in the immediate following term without continuous enrollment provided:
  • They were continuously enrolled as required by the University in the preceding term; and
  • Their successful defense is held by the last day of the 2nd week of the following fall/spring/summer term; and/or,
  • Their library submission is complete by the last day of the 5th week of the following fall/spring/summer term. If the library submission is not complete by the end of the 5th week of the term, which is the last day to add a Continuous Enrollment course, students must immediately enroll in the required one credit of continuous enrollment (698A/B or 798 A/B) to be considered active students and have access to University resources.
  • Late submission without continuous enrollment is not possible during the compressed Interterm; students submitting for conferral during Interterm do so on the regular deadline schedule.
• Comprehensive/qualifying exam exception: Students taking comprehensive/qualifying exams in the months of January, February, June, or September may do so without being continuously enrolled at the time of the exam provided they were continuously enrolled as required by the University in the immediate, preceding required term (fall/spring in 9-month programs; fall/spring/summer in 12-month programs).

For further information about continuous enrollment, please email the Office of the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education at GradEd@chapman.edu.

Leave of Absence

If, for acceptable reasons, students find it necessary to interrupt progress toward their degrees for more than one semester or trimester (interterm and summer sessions do not constitute a required term, unless the program requires attendance during these semesters or trimesters), a Leave of Absence may be granted. A leave permits students to retain the right to elect requirements in effect at the time of the leave or to adopt those in effect at the time of return. However, a Leave of Absence does not toll or place on hold the University rule that all degree requirements must be completed within 7 years prior to the date of graduate degree conferral (see Academic Policies and Procedures/ Degree Requirements/ Time Limitation); in other words, the 7-year clock continues to ‘run’ even while a student is on Leave of Absence. Requests for Leave of Absence should be submitted via Graduate Petition form to the Dean’s Office of the student’s college or school. (Students wishing to leave during a semester/trimester prior to the end of the withdrawal period must also officially drop all coursework, either via “studentcenter.chapman.edu” or at the Office of the University Registrar.) The Dean’s Office will notify the Office of the University Registrar whether the leave application is approved. Minimum requirements for a Leave of Absence are as follows:

• A student must be in good academic standing.
• The petition must be approved by the program director and dean of the college.
• The petition must state clearly and completely the reasons for the leave.
• Leaves may be granted for a maximum of two years (normally one year with a possible renewal of one additional year). Failure to return after the specified time is considered withdrawn from the University. Retroactive leaves are not permitted.
• A leave of absence does not supersede the policy that all requirements for a degree must be completed within a seven-year period.

Leave of Absence Due to Disability

Students seeking a Leave of Absence due to a disability should contact the Office of Disability Services via email DS@chapman.edu or phone (714) 516-4520.  Disability Services will review the leave request, discuss it with the student, and coordinate with the Dean’s Office as appropriate.

Re-Enrollment

Graduate students who break enrollment for a period of greater than one semester/trimester, without receiving an approved Leave of Absence, are required to request Re-Enrollment through their graduate program using the Graduate Re-enrollment form found on the University Registrar’s Forms webpage. All students are held to the degree requirements in effect at the time of their return, unless approved for their original catalog year requirements by the program director or dean.

Further information on Leaves of Absence and Re-Enrollment can be found on the Registrar’s Interrupted Enrollment webpage at www.chapman.edu/interrupted-enrollment.

If you do not plan to enroll in classes for a period of greater than one semester/trimester, please take immediate action to apply for a Leave of Absence or plan to apply for Re-Enrollment when you wish to return to taking classes. It is important to note that you have only seven years, regardless of leaves granted or breaks in enrollment, to complete your degree requirements.

Course Requirements

• Credits completed for a baccalaureate degree cannot be accepted for graduate degree credit. (See specific policies for integrated graduate degree programs for exceptions.)
• Undergraduate or graduate courses completed to fulfill prerequisite requirements cannot be accepted for credit towards the graduate degree. Credit is not awarded for life or work experience.
• All degree coursework must fulfill graduate coursework requirements; for example, graduate students enrolled in any courses in which undergraduates are enrolled must complete additional course requirements to receive graduate credit.
• At least 18 credits must be in coursework at the 500-600 level for master’s degrees.
• The minimum number of credits required for a master’s degree is 30. Most degrees require more. (See the individual degree programs.)
• Doctoral students who transfer in credits from another university must complete at least twelve (12) credits of graduate coursework in didactic courses taken at Chapman University. These courses must be didactic in nature (e.g., independent study courses, colloquia series credits, internship or practicum credits, research credits, and thesis or dissertation credits, will not qualify).
• Each student is issued a degree program in accordance with the catalog degree requirements as stated in the student’s official program evaluation in “studentcenter.chapman.edu”. No changes may be made to a student’s program without advance approval of the program director and the dean of the college. Additional courses may not be added to degree requirements without petitioned approval by the Graduate Academic Council.

Grade and Quality Requirements

Degrees and credentials are granted on evidence of intellectual growth and development rather than solely on the basis of formal course credits. Fulfillment of the minimum course requirements set forth cannot, therefore, be regarded as the sole requisite of a degree or credential.

Residency Requirement

A minimum of 24 credits in the degree program must be completed at Chapman University for all graduate degrees. For specific program requirements, please refer to the appropriate program section. These credits do not include courses taken to fulfill prerequisite requirements. Students in credential programs are required to complete a minimum of two-thirds of the program at Chapman.

Minimum Course Grade Requirement

Unless stated otherwise by the academic program, no grade below 2.300 “C+” is acceptable toward a graduate degree or credential but is included in calculating the overall grade-point average. Please refer to the appropriate program section. By action of the Graduate Academic Council, all courses must be taken for a letter grade unless specifically noted otherwise in the course description.

Grade Point Average

The following are University guidelines; some programs specify different GPA requirements. Please refer to the appropriate program section.

• A grade point average of 3.000 based on all coursework taken at Chapman and applicable to the graduate degree or credential is required, excluding prerequisite courses.
• A cumulative grade point average of 3.000 based on all coursework applicable to the graduate degree or credential is required, excluding prerequisite courses.

Change of Program Policies

• Students wishing to add or change their program of study need to apply to the new graduate program through Graduate Admission. If a student wishes to change to a graduate program within the same academic department, and the program/department does not require reapplication for the change or addition of another graduate program, the student must submit a completed Graduate Change of Program form to the Office of the University Registrar.
• To be eligible for a change of program, students must have a cumulative 3.000 grade-point average, no grade below a “C+” in Chapman University graduate coursework, and approval of the graduate program requested for change or addition.
• Students who change their degree program are advised that all courses taken at Chapman, including those in programs in which the student was enrolled but is no longer pursuing, appear on their Chapman transcripts.
• Graduate change of program requests submitted after the start date of a term will be processed and become effective at the start of the following term.

Students requesting a change of program are required to follow all readmission policies and procedures, as indicated in the Graduate Catalog, prior to completing coursework for that program.

Second Master’s Degree

The following rules govern the earning of a second master’s degree from Chapman University:

• The second master’s degree may be awarded only in a distinctly different area, e.g., the student would not be awarded two master’s degrees in education in differing areas of emphasis.
• The student must meet all specific requirements for the second master’s degree not already satisfied by the first.
• The student may not use more than 12 credits of the first master’s degree to satisfy the requirements for a second master’s degree at Chapman.
• In addition, a minimum of 24 non-duplicated credits must be taken for the second master’s degree.

Graduate students admitted to more than one master’s program can be active students only in one master’s program In any given term. This means: (1) the students can be enrolled in courses that meet the requirements for only one graduate program in any term and (2) the students must take an official LOA in another graduate program(s) in the same term. The Registrar Office must be informed about LOA program and the enrollment program prior to the student registration for that term.

Second Emphasis Area

Students completing a second emphasis area within one master’s degree program may not use previously completed coursework for one emphasis to fulfill the requirements of a second emphasis.

If a comprehensive examination is required for the second emphasis area, the student will be required to complete the examination for each emphasis.

Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy is required for some degree programs. Please consult the appropriate program section of the catalog for specific requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to submit an application for Advancement to Candidacy to the graduate program.

Comprehensive Examination

Specific master’s degree programs require degree candidates to pass a comprehensive examination as part of the degree requirements.

• This examination requires the ability to coherently and analytically integrate knowledge gained from coursework and to relate it cogently to different situations or applications. Successful completion of coursework alone does not assure the candidate of passing the comprehensive examination.
• Unless stated otherwise by the academic program, students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.000 and meet all other specific grade requirements to meet the minimum eligibility to take the comprehensive examination. Each program has specific eligibility requirements that must be fulfilled prior to the date of the examination. Please consult the appropriate section of the catalog.
• Students taking comprehensive exams must be continuously enrolled as defined by the University (see Continuous Enrollment section).
• An application form must be submitted by the student to the graduate program to take or repeat a comprehensive examination. In addition, if the examination is not taken on the date for which the student applied, a new application must be submitted. Applications must be received by the student’s graduate program on or before the posted deadline date. Deadline dates are in the University’s Academic Calendar .
• Students who are registered to take the comprehensive exams in June may participate in the May commencement ceremony provided the only remaining degree requirement to be completed is passing the comprehensive exam.
• Students have up to two opportunities (only after an interval of not less than three months, subject to additional conditions the degree program may impose) to take the examination within the seven-year period in which all degree program requirements must be completed. If failed on the first attempt, examination preparation requirements, such as auditing or repeating coursework, are to be specified in writing to the student with a copy retained in the student’s permanent file.
• Students who must choose either a comprehensive examination or thesis option must file a Graduate Petition and receive written approval in order to switch to a different option once begun. Thesis courses may not be substituted for courses required in the comprehensive exam option curriculum.

The Master’s Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation

The master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation is a requirement of many graduate degree programs.

Students writing a thesis/dissertation as part of their master’s or doctoral degree will work closely with their faculty adviser, who is a member of the student’s review committee. Programs that offer a thesis/dissertation option require an oral defense of the thesis/dissertation with the review committee. Please observe the printed deadlines for submitting an Application for Degree Conferral when your thesis/dissertation or project is near completion. An electronic copy of the thesis/dissertation must be submitted to the library. The graduate degree will not be awarded until after the electronic submission of the thesis/dissertation to the library.

• Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.000 to meet the minimum eligibility requirement to enroll in the thesis/dissertation.
• A thesis/dissertation defense is required. Official notification attesting to the satisfactory completion of the thesis/dissertation requirement, including the defense, must be provided to the Office of the University Registrar.
• Students must have completed all the thesis/dissertation requirements, including a successful defense, to participate in commencement ceremonies.
• Master’s students seeking to switch to a comprehensive examination option from a thesis option must refer to the Comprehensive Examination section regarding restrictions.

Thesis/Dissertation Committee Structure

Number of Members

• The University requires that each committee be composed of a minimum of three members including the chair; additional members may be required by the specific program. Students should consult their Program Handbook for information.
• Under extenuating circumstances (e.g., member’s death or sudden leave), to be noted by the graduate program in a letter to the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education, a student in the final stages of the thesis/dissertation may retain the existing committee without adding a member to substitute for the committee member who is no longer serving on the committee.

Committee Membership

• The University requires a minimum of three committee members including the chair. Programs may require additional members; students should consult their Program Handbook or other appropriate program-specific document for further information.
• At least two of the University-required three committee members, including the chair, shall be full-time faculty affiliated to the student’s graduate degree program. Only members of this group are allowed to chair a thesis/dissertation.
• An individual currently employed by Chapman who possesses requisite expertise, but who is not a full-time faculty member affiliated to the student’s graduate degree program, may be appointed as a third (or subsequent) member of a thesis/dissertation committee with the approval of the committee chair. Service on thesis/dissertation committees by part-time faculty members at Chapman must be approved by the committee chair and by the Office of the Provost prior to committee appointment; such approvals by the Office of the Provost are considered on a case-by-case basis and are limited.
• An individual not employed by Chapman who possesses requisite expertise may be appointed as a voluntary external committee member as a third (or subsequent) member of a thesis/dissertation committee with the approval of the committee chair. This may include faculty from other universities, retired Chapman faculty, and/or community professionals. External committee members must submit a CV and complete a Volunteer External Committee Member agreement and complete any University-required training prior to being approved for service on a thesis/dissertation committee. Forms are available from the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education.
• Each graduate program may establish additional procedures for the appointment of thesis/dissertation committee members. These procedures should be published and made available to graduate students and the Office of the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education.

Thesis/Dissertation Committee Responsibilities

The Committee

• The initial responsibility of the committee is to meet and determine the feasibility of the topic and the thesis/dissertation plan or proposal, and to permit the student to proceed only after such determination has been made.
• The committee shall sign off on the student’s plan or proposal and a copy should be kept in the student’s file by the graduate program and a copy sent to the Office of the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education. The signing of this document signifies that the student has permission to proceed with the study as outlined in the plan.
• The committee shall review and approve the methodology and any instrument or questionnaire used in data collection.
• The committee shall examine the student’s work and to meet and make a final determination of the acceptability of the thesis/dissertation, and to arrange for any oral defense of the thesis or dissertation in accordance with written program and University policies.

The Chair

• The student and the committee chair, insofar as it is possible, should arrive at an agreement on an approximate time schedule, including meetings of the committee, for the accomplishment of thesis/dissertation-related work for each academic term that the student is engaged in such work.
• The chair shall have primary responsibility for the supervision of the student’s work, setting deadlines, and guiding the student’s progress.
• The chair shall assume the role of “principal investigator”, when the student’s research involves human or animal subjects, and shall ensure that University policies in this area are carefully observed.
• The chair shall inform and monitor the student’s continuous enrollment while actively working on the thesis/dissertation, in accordance with University policies.

Committee Vacancies and Replacements

• If any committee members anticipate an extended but temporary absence during the time students are working on the thesis/dissertation, the member should arrange for means of communicating during this leave.
• Any change in committee chair or membership must be approved by the graduate program coordinator and noted on the appropriate form/electronic record in “studentcenter.chapman.edu”.

Disputes

• In the event that a dispute or disagreement arises between a student and a member of the committee or between members of the committee, the committee chair shall call a meeting of the committee and the student for the purpose of resolving the problem.
• If the dispute cannot be resolved through this process, or if the proposed solution is unacceptable to the student or one of the committee members, the disagreeing party department chair, or program director may request that the dean of the college or school review the problem and recommend a solution.
• If the problem cannot be resolved at the college/school level, the dispute should be appealed to the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education, which will be the final level of appeal.

Termination of the Committee

In the event a student does not register for thesis/dissertation or fails to maintain continuous enrollment in an active status within one semester or trimester after official acceptance by a thesis/dissertation committee, the committee chair has the option of dissolving the committee, in which case a new committee must be secured and approved before registration can be authorized.

Formatting, Transmittal, and Archiving of Theses and Dissertations

Dissertations and theses completed in partial fulfillment for an advanced degree will be made available in electronic format through Chapman University Digital Commons and/or ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. Full instructions for library submission, contact information and downloadable forms for all steps of the process may be found on the Leatherby Libraries website at http://chapman.libguides.com/dissertations.

Contact Programs for Further Information

Contact individual graduate programs for further specific dissertation requirements and comprehensive examination requirements.

Course Descriptions - General University Studies

• GUS 530 - Graduate Student Workshop
    
• GUS 699 - Individual Study  
• GUS 699R - Graduate Student Faculty Research Apprenticeship  

Registration and Course Information

Course Load

Except for students in the Dale E. Fowler School of Law, a full course load for graduate and credential students is defined as nine credits per regular term, as well as during summer. A full academic load for interterm is three credits; students may take up to a maximum of four credits in interterm.

Course Numbering System

Courses are numbered as follows:

X29 These numbers indicate experimental coursework offered by a department. Experimental courses are designed to offer additional opportunities to explore areas and subjects of special interest and may be repeated for credit if course content is different. Course titles, prerequisites and credits may vary. Some courses require student lab fees. Specific course details will be listed in the course schedule.

X99 Individual study courses.

X90 Internship courses. No retroactive internship credit may be awarded for hours worked without timely registration in an internship course.

X91 Student-faculty research and creative activity courses.

5XX-6XX Graduate courses for graduate students and seniors meeting specific guidelines.

698 Thesis

798 Dissertation

7XX Post-master’s and doctoral courses.

Course Credit Hour Policy

All Chapman University courses are offered on the basis of credit hours or credits. One credit hour of coursework requires one face-to-face contact hour (note: one contact hour = 50 minutes) per week between a faculty member and a student and two hours of assigned coursework per week on the part of the student outside of the classroom for a regular term. The typical three-credit course requires three contact hours per week and six hours of assigned coursework per week or 45 contact hours and 90 hours of assigned coursework for a regular term (15 weeks including the final exam period). Note that some classes meet beyond the scheduled class times based on the credits listed and that the number of contact hours and assigned coursework in lab courses, individually directed courses, non-traditional media-based courses and travel courses is tailored to the type of course and/or course objectives.

Lab courses are courses that have a strong skill component and typically require a special room, equipment, or fieldwork experience for students to utilize to enhance their learning. One credit of a lab course requires a minimum of three contact hours, which may include a minimum of three hours of face-to-face contact hours per week between a faculty member and a student or a combination of face-to-face contact hours and assigned coursework to total three contact hours of engagement per week of instruction for a regular term.

Individually directed courses provide a more in-depth interaction between student, faculty member and course materials or research project. Since, typically, a student works one-on-one with a faculty member and receives an intensified experience of personalized education, the contact hours and amount of assigned coursework are tailored to the nature of the coursework and may exceed the minimum requirements given below.

• Reading and conference courses require a minimum of 5 hours of instructor-student contact per credit hour and a minimum of 30 hours of outside work per credit hour per term.
• Individual study and research courses require a minimum of 5 hours of instructor-student contact per credit hour and 30 hours of outside work per credit hour per term. In these courses the program is designed by the faculty member and the student working collaboratively and approved prior to the start of the term.
• Graduate thesis/dissertation credits require a minimum of 5 hours of instructor-student contact per credit hour and 30 hours of outside work per credit hour per term. Students registering for graduate thesis/dissertation credits pursue graduate research or a project in collaboration with a faculty advisor.

Travel courses are courses that occur primarily off-campus such as elsewhere in the United States or abroad. Travel courses are measured in weeks, with each week garnering a maximum of one credit. Each credit requires a minimum of 15 hours of contact or experience and 30 hours of assigned coursework or experience per credit hour. For courses that have two weeks of travel, 15 contact hours are required before and/or after travel.

Distance Education

A course will be considered a distance education (DE) course if less than 30% of student-instructor substantive interaction time is designed to occur face-to-face (meaning physically in the same room). An online course provides 80% or more of the substantive course interaction delivered either synchronously (scheduled but remote) or asynchronously (on demand and remote).

A hybrid/blended course delivers from 30% to 79% of the substantive course interaction either synchronously (live but remote) or asynchronously (on demand and remote).

Online: Instructional content is delivered primarily via an online environment. Online courses can include synchronous components, but little to no course interaction takes place on campus. At Chapman, a DE course providing 80% or more of course interaction remotely or asynchronously is considered an online course.

Hybrid: A learning environment in which course content is delivered using both in-person and online modalities, wherein a portion of the in-person class time is replaced with asynchronous online learning. At Chapman, a DE course delivering 30-79% of course interaction remotely is considered a hybrid course. Hybrid courses should be designed through careful consideration of what parts of learning should occur in person with the guidance of the instructor, and which can occur online on the learner’s own time, with the goal of creating an intentional “blend” of online and face-to-face instruction that is best suited to enhance learning for all students.

Add/Drop

During official registration dates, students may initially register for courses, or drop courses via “studentcenter.chapman.edu” in accordance with their priority registration access. Being placed by an instructor on the class roster does not constitute being officially registered for the course. Students can officially register only through “studentcenter.chapman.edu” or at the Office of the University Registrar. After the term add deadline, students may not attend courses without being officially enrolled in the course.

Students adding a course after the first week of the term must get the instructor’s approval in order to register for the course.

If a semester/trimester course is dropped by the last day to drop without a record of enrollment (typically occurs at the end of the second week of semester/trimester classes; see Academic Calendar  for all terms and dates), no record of the course is posted to the student’s transcript. Students who officially withdraw between this date and the last day to withdraw (typically between the third and tenth weeks of semester/trimester courses; see Academic Calendar ) receive a non-punitive notation of “W” on their transcripts indicating the withdrawal. Students cannot withdraw from a course after the last day to withdraw noted on the Academic Calendar . It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw officially from a course or all courses. Failure to attend a course does not constitute a withdrawal. Students who stop attending courses without officially withdrawing will receive a grade of “FW,” failure to withdraw, which is calculated the same as an “F” grade for the grade point average.

If a course is dropped during the first week of a 7 1/2 week session (see Academic Calendar  for corresponding dates), no record of the course is posted to the student’s transcript. Students who officially withdraw from a course between the second and the fifth week of the session will receive a non-punitive notation of “W” on their transcripts indicating the withdrawal. Students cannot withdraw from a course beyond the fifth week of the session. It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw officially from a course or all courses. Failure to attend a course does not constitute a withdrawal. Students who stop attending courses without officially withdrawing will receive a grade of “FW,” failure to withdraw, which is calculated the same as an “F” grade for the grade point average.

See Academic Calendar  for all applicable dates regarding withdrawals and add/drop.

Complete Withdrawal

Students must withdraw officially from all coursework, either through “studentcenter.chapman.edu” or the Office of the University Registrar before the end of the tenth week of a standard term. (See Academic Calendar  for deadline dates.) Students who stop attending courses without officially withdrawing will receive a grade of “FW,” failure to withdraw, which is calculated as an “F” grade. Students who drop all courses and discontinue studies during the term must also notify the dean and either request a leave of absence via a Graduate Petition form or officially withdraw from the program.

Administrative Drop

Students who do not attend the first class meeting of a course in which they are registered may be administratively dropped unless they make arrangements with the instructor and obtain approval prior to the first day of class. Students who do not attend the first two weeks of class will be administratively dropped from the course if identified by the instructor as not having attended. Students should contact the instructor if a possible error has been made regarding an administrative drop.

Pass/No Pass

By action of the Graduate Academic Council, all graduate work must be taken for a letter grade unless an exception to this policy is noted in the course description of the specific course.

After initial registration in a course, in order to change the grading basis (e.g., to “P/NP”) students must submit a Graduate Petition form to the Office of the University Registrar requesting the change. The deadline for changing a course’s grading basis is the end of the fifth week for fall and spring terms. (See Academic Calendar  for corresponding dates for interterm and summer terms.) Once a course is graded, students cannot request a change in grading option. Certain courses require letter grades only and certain courses allow only Pass/No Pass as the grading option. Courses that allow only Pass/No Pass are noted in the course descriptions.

A student who satisfactorily completes a “P/NP” course will receive a “P” grade. Credit will be granted. However, no grade points are assigned, and the grade is not computed in the grade-point average. “P” grades are equivalent to a “C+” grade or higher.

A grade of “NP” (no pass) will be given when the requirements for credit in the course have not been satisfied at the level of “C+” or higher. “NP” grades are given for “C” and below. No credit is granted, no grade points are assigned, and the “NP” is not computed in the grade-point average.

Students who take a course Pass/No Pass, cease attending part way through the term and fail to officially withdraw from the course will receive a “NP” grade.

Grades of “NP”, at the discretion of the graduate program, may be considered in the determination of academic probation and eligibility for graduate assistantships and other privileges.

Satisfactory Progress

“SP” indicates a student is progressing toward the completion of a course thesis or project which does not end by the normal term ending date or of a thesis or project. It is never a final grade. Upon completion of the course or thesis project, the “SP” grade is replaced with a letter grade, P, or NP grading symbol. No grade points are assigned for P or NP grades.

Incomplete Grades

The grade of Incomplete may be assigned by an instructor if a student, through circumstances beyond their control, has not completed a small portion of a course, (approximately 30% or less) by the conclusion of the term.  

The student must request the grade of Incomplete and must propose a date acceptable to the faculty member by which the missing work will be completed. 

The student must have a passing grade based on completed assessments at the time the Incomplete is issued.  

A grade of Incomplete may not be assigned to give a student a chance to do more work to improve a grade.  

A grade of Incomplete may also be assigned by an instructor if academic integrity is in question at the time grades are due and the instructor requires more time to resolve the issue. 

The deadline to resolve the Incomplete is determined by the faculty member and the student and must be specified in Campus Solutions in the Transcript Note tab at the time of original submission of the Incomplete grade. If no deadline is specified, then the deadline for removal of the Incomplete is automatically the end of the exam period for the next full term after the Incomplete was recorded, unless a shorter period of time is specified by the instructor. See table below: 

In certain circumstances in which the student must attend a portion of the class to fulfill the remaining requirements, such as an activity or laboratory-based class, and when the course is not offered every term, at the instructor’s discretion, the deadline for removal of the Incomplete will be the end of the term in which the class is offered again. When a class is not offered within one year of the original class, other arrangements will need to be made by the instructor to allow the student to complete the work. 

When issuing an Incomplete grade, instructors must provide the grade the student would have earned by assessing scores on all graded requirements. This grade is determined based upon a zero-point calculation, which factors in all work done to date, and adds in zero points for all missing assignments in the calculation of the final grade. If the agreed upon remaining coursework is not completed in the period allotted, the assessed grade from the zero-point calculation will become the grade of record. 

If the instructor determines that the student would receive an “F” grade based upon the zero-point calculation, then an “I” grade is entered as the final grade, with zero credit given and zero points calculated. “I” grades will become “F” or “NP” if the agreed upon coursework is not completed in the period allotted.

Grades

Grades and corresponding grade points in all programs except Doctor of Pharmacy are as follows:

*Grades of this level and below are considered unacceptable work for graduate students; please refer to the degree requirement sections of the catalog for information on program-specific criteria.

Numeric grading for Doctor of Pharmacy are as follows:

Students dropping a course in the prescribed manner after the add-drop period and on or before the final day to withdraw from a course (as stated in the Academic Calendar  section) will receive a non-punitive “W” notation.

The “FW” grade is assigned to students who cease attending part way through the term but who do not officially withdraw via “studentcenter.chapman.edu” or the Office of the University Registrar. “FW” is computed in the grade-point average as an “F.” Students who take a course Pass/No Pass, cease attending part way through the term and fail to withdraw officially will receive the “NP” grade.

By action of the Graduate Academic Council, all graduate work must be taken for a letter grade unless an exception to this policy is noted in the course description of the specific course.

Courses Repeated for Higher Grades

Except as specified by program, any graduate-level course at Chapman may be repeated to improve the grade, however, no more than two graduate courses may be repeated once, or one graduate course may be repeated twice. The lower grade remains on the record with a notation that the course has been repeated. Other than possible exceptions related to academic integrity violations, only the higher grade and credit are computed in the grade-point average. It is strongly recommended that a course be repeated the next time it is offered if it is to be taken for a higher grade, as the original grade will continue to be computed in the student’s GPA until it is repeated. In exercising this option to repeat a course, a graduate student must repeat the course at Chapman University.

Course Audit

No credit is earned from audited classes. A notation of “AU” is assigned to audited classes and is not used in computing the GPA. Course requisites are enforced in the determination of registration eligibility for the course. Audit fees will be assessed. It is strongly recommended that students confer with their advisors prior to auditing a course.

No preregistration is allowed for courses taken as audit. The deadline for such a transaction is the same as the add/drop deadline for regular courses for all terms. Course requirements such as homework, exams and papers are not graded by the instructor for students who are auditing a course. Registration to audit a course requires instructor consent via Chapman email to registrar@chapman.edu.

Not all courses are eligible to be audited.

Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate Programs

An integrated program combines both undergraduate and graduate education by allowing the undergraduate student to be conditionally admitted into the graduate program while still completing all undergraduate degree requirements. The application process, prerequisites, GPA and graduate program requirements are as specified for each graduate program. A GPA of 3.000 is required to be accepted into an Integrated program, even in cases where a Master’s program considers lower GPA requirements for non-Integrated students. Students will receive conditional admission to the graduate program, pending completion of their bachelor’s degree.

While still enrolled as undergraduates, students may take, and share, up to 15 credits, although some programs may permit less than 15 credits (please consult the degree section of the catalog for specific program permissions for the number of credits that can be taken and can be shared). Undergraduate students are required to have a minimum 3.000 GPA to enroll in graduate level courses. Undergraduate students must have either already earned 90 credits or be enrolled in and anticipate having earned 90 credits before the first day of the graduate course(s) in which they wish to enroll. Students must get permission from the instructor of the course and the chair of the department, academic unit head, or program director of the academic program unit offering the course. These signature approvals must be provided on the Undergraduate Request to Register for Graduate Course form, which is available on the University Registrar’s Forms page.

Graduate courses shared with undergraduate degree requirements will only appear on the undergraduate transcript. 

Students complete the remaining credit hours of graduate coursework beginning the term after receiving the undergraduate degree. At minimum, 15 credits must be earned at the graduate, post-baccalaureate level. The minimum number of combined undergraduate and graduate credits required for any integrated bachelor’s/master’s program is 135 total credits. 

Individually Directed Courses

Individually directed courses cannot be audited.

Reading and Conference Courses

Reading and conference courses are offered only (1) when the course is not being offered in the current term, and (2) when necessary for a student to complete degree requirements. The courses are not offered to resolve scheduling conflicts with other classes nor to enable a student to meet financial aid or other eligibility criteria that are based on enrolled credits.

To enroll in reading and conference courses, students must complete a reading and conference form (available online and from the Office of the University Registrar) and obtain the signatures of the program director and course instructor. After receiving approval, the student must submit the form to the Office of the University Registrar. A minimum of five hours of instruction for each credit is required for reading and conference courses.

Individual Study and Research

Individual study and research are offered to students to research particular topics that are not provided for by regular curriculum offerings.

To enroll in individual study and research, students must complete the individual study and research form available on the University Registrar’s Forms page, and obtain the signatures of the program director and course instructor. After receiving approval, the student must submit the form to the Office of the University Registrar. Students should spend 40 to 50 hours in instruction and research for each credit of individual study.

Internships

Internship courses give students the opportunity to earn academic credit while gaining practical work experience, an increased understanding of and exposure to a given career field, opportunities to transform classroom knowledge into “real-world” application, technical skills and more. By successfully completing internships, students become increasingly competitive candidates in the job market.  Further information on internships can be found at the Office of Career and Professional Development’s Internship www.chapman.edu/internships webpage.

Internship Policies

• Chapman University allows students to receive academic credit for both paid and unpaid internships.
• Internship courses follow the same tuition and credit policies outlined in the Tuition and Interterm policies (see Expenses, Financial Information, and General Information Policies of the catalog).
• Internship registration deadlines are posted annually on the Academic Calendar  and Internship www.chapman.edu/internships webpage. If a student misses the deadlines to register their internship for academic credit, they may petition to late-add the course if there is justification for the lateness in filing. No internship can be added for a semester that has been completed.
• Hybrid/remote internships are allowed. All remote internships must have a verified United States address and be reviewed by the Internship Coordinator to confirm learning objectives, roles and responsibilities are met before being approved.
• A maximum of six (6) credits of internship courses may be completed at the same internship site.
• No internship nor practicum credit is accepted in transfer (see Transfer Credits in the Academic Policies and Procedures  section).
• No retroactive internship credit may be awarded for hours worked without timely registration in an internship course.
• Hours may only count for credit within the academic term dates in which a student is registered.

Internship Registration

• Domestic internships within the U.S. are registered through the Office of Career and Professional Development. View registration steps, policies, and requirements on the Internship www.chapman.edu/internships webpage.
• International internships outside of the U.S. are registered through the Center for Global Education. More information about international internships can be found on the Center for Global Education www.chapman.edu/cge webpage.
• International Students conducting internships within the U.S. must register through the Office of Career and Professional Development. More detailed information is available on the Internships webpage.
• Students who need immediate credit on their records for financial aid purposes or for full-time student status can enroll in an Internship Placeholder Course until official course registration is processed. Permission to register in an Internship Placeholder Course can be obtained by contacting the Office of Career and Professional Development. Students must complete the Internship Placeholder Form when enrolling for an Internship Placeholder Course. Placeholder Forms can be found on the Internship www.chapman.edu/internships webpage.
• Students should consult the Internships webpage for detailed information on the internship registration process.

Internship Credits and Hours

• Credit per internship ranges by department from 0.5 to 6 credits. Students must complete 20 hours for each 0.5 credit registered.
• Internship courses follow the same course load policy, including interterm course load limits, outlined in the Course Load Policy (see the Course Load section of the catalog).

Internship Grades

• Independent internships are graded by the student’s Faculty Internship Advisor on a Pass/No Pass  basis. Seminar internships may be subject to letter grade.
• If an internship for a seminar course is not secured by the fifth (5th) week of the term per the Academic Calendar , the student is expected to withdraw from the course, resulting in an automatic W notation on their transcript.

Academic Warnings, Academic Probation, and Academic Dismissal Criteria

Academic performance of the graduate students including grades and cumulative grade point averages (GPA) are reviewed by the University twice per year, after grades have posted for fall and spring terms. Academic warnings, academic probations, and recommendations for academic dismissal at the University are acted upon based on these reviews. Individual graduate programs may additionally review GPA more frequently (i.e., after summer term(s) and interterm).

The following course grades and GPA requirements represent the University standard; individual graduate programs may have different requirements. Consult the specific graduate program section of the Graduate Catalog for details.

For the current University’s Minimum Course Grade and Grade Point Average requirements, please see the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the Catalog.

For the purpose of the academic standing review, the credits attempted include all courses that are graded (both letter grade and Pass / No Pass), but exclude the courses that are in progress or have the incomplete (“I”) grade.

Grade reviews:

• A graduate student who has more than two (2) courses with the grades below program/university minimum requirement will be recommended for academic dismissal.
• A graduate student who has two (2) courses with the grades below the program/university minimum requirement will be placed on academic probation.
• A graduate student who has one (1) course with the grade below program/university minimum requirement will be issued an academic warning letter. 

Fall and Spring cumulative GPA reviews:

Less than twelve (12) credits attempted

• A graduate student who has attempted less than 12 credits and:
  • has a cumulative GPA below a 2.000 will be recommended for academic dismissal.
  • has a cumulative GPA at or above 2.000 but below a 2.300 will be placed on academic probation.
  • has a cumulative GPA at or above 2.300 but below 3.000 will be issued an academic warning letter. 

Twelve to twenty (12-20) credits attempted

• A graduate student who has attempted 12-20 credits in their program and:
  • has a cumulative GPA below a 2.500 will be recommended for academic dismissal. 
  • has a cumulative GPA at or above 2.500 but below 2.700 will be placed on academic probation.
  • has a cumulative GPA at or above 2.700 but below 3.000 will be issued an academic warning letter.  

Greater than twenty (20) credits attempted

• A graduate student who has attempted greater than 20 credits and:
  • has a cumulative GPA below a 2.700 will be recommended for academic dismissal. 
  • has a cumulative GPA at or above 2.700 but below 3.000 will be placed on academic probation.

Summer cumulative GPA reviews:

Less than twelve (12) credits attempted

• A graduate student who has attempted less than 12 credits and
  • has a cumulative GPA below a 2.300 will be placed on academic probation.
  • has a cumulative GPA at or above 2.300 but below 3.000 will be issued an academic warning letter.  

Twelve to twenty (12-20) credits attempted

• A graduate student who has attempted 12-20 credits and
  • has a cumulative GPA below 2.700 will be placed on academic probation. 
  • has a cumulative GPA at or above 2.700 but below 3.000 will be issued an academic warning letter.

Greater than twenty (20) credits attempted

• A graduate student who has attempted greater than 20 credits and has a cumulative GPA below 3.000 will be placed on academic probation.

*A graduate student placed on academic probation will remain on academic probation until a 3.000 GPA is achieved and the satisfactory grades are earned in the repeated courses.

**The action of academic dismissal will be noted permanently on the official transcript.

Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal Recommendation Appeals

• Academic warnings and academic probation status at the University level are not subject to student appeal, as they are not noted on the student’s permanent transcript. 
• Graduate students may appeal academic dismissal recommendations at the University level to the Graduate Academic Council or its designated subcommittee. 
  • A graduate student who has been recommended for academic dismissal may not continue in coursework until an appeal is submitted to the Graduate Academic Council via the Office of the University Registrar (via email to the registrar@chapman.edu). The subject line should be “APPEAL OF ACADEMIC DISMISSAL RECOMMENDATION” and the student should include their entire name and ID number in the body of the email, not the subject line. Students should not use the Graduate Petition form for appealing an academic dismissal recommendation.
  • Appeals must be received within ten (10) business days of the date of the academic dismissal recommendation letter. After ten (10) business days, if no appeal is received, the dismissal will be final and noted on the permanent transcript. 
  • Graduate students who wish to appeal a recommendation for academic dismissal must demonstrate in their appeal both extraordinary circumstances explaining the unsatisfactory academic performance and a likelihood of success if allowed to continue in their program at Chapman. 
  • Appeal materials must be submitted in writing by the student and will be considered alongside evidence submitted by the proponent of the decision. In-person hearings or meetings with the Graduate Academic Council are not permitted.
  • All communication regarding an appeal must occur in writing between the Graduate Academic Council and the student. Communications from other representatives, including attorneys, are not accepted nor responded to by the Graduate Academic Council. Communications from faculty, students, or other concerned parties in support of the student must be submitted directly by the student to the Graduate Academic Council. 
  • Students who enroll in courses pending an appeal decision take full responsibility for the tuition and fees incurred for those courses; tuition refunds are not issued in the event of a denied appeal. 
• If the academic dismissal recommendation of the University is upheld by the Graduate Academic Council, under limited circumstances the graduate student may submit a final appeal to the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education (see section, Appealing a Decision of the Graduate Academic Council). 
• If the academic dismissal appeal is denied by the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education, the graduate student will be administratively withdrawn effective immediately. The decision of the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education on academic dismissal appeals is final and there is no additional process of appeal.

Academic Petitions

Chapman University is sensitive to the educational advantages of a flexible curriculum but is also conscious of a responsibility to ensure equity for all students. Permission to deviate from published regulations is neither automatic nor done as a formality; each request is considered on its own merits and in light of the petitioner’s complete academic record. Internal guidelines have been established to help committee members with their deliberation on individual cases.

The Graduate Academic Council is responsible for creating academic policies and procedures within the University. A graduate student may file a Graduate Petition form to request a deviation from University policies. Petitions must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar (via email to the registrar@chapman.edu or in person at their office), which will route them to the Graduate Academic Council after recording. The Graduate Petition form is available online at the Office of the University Registrar’s website www.chapman.edu/registrar and should accompany all submitted evidence.

The Graduate Academic Council does not review student petitions pertaining to: (1) the adding or dropping of courses after enrollment deadlines, (2) changing the grading option after the specified deadline, (3) credit overloads, (4) late withdrawal from courses, (5) Leaves of Absence, or (6) requests for reasonable accommodations due to a disability. Instead, such petitions, other than reasonable accommodation determinations, are decided administratively at the college level by the dean or their designated representative (e.g., associate dean) and/or faculty committee and submitted to the Office of the Registrar for recording in the student’s permanent record. Students seeking accommodations due to a disability should contact the Office of Disability Services by phone (714) 516-4520 or email DS@chapman.edu. For more information visit the Office of Disability Services webpage www.chapman.edu/disabilities.

The following University policies may not be petitioned by students:

• Non-punitive “W” mark for a late withdrawal removed from their transcript
• Academic warning or academic probation at the University level

It is incumbent upon the student to provide all relevant evidence and supporting documentation to support the petition (see Academic Petition Process). The decisions on petitions made by the Graduate Academic Council are recorded within the student’s record; students are notified via the student’s Chapman email account.

Academic Petition Process

For academic petitions, in addition to the Graduate Petition form, each student is entitled to submit supporting evidence and have that evidence considered (at each stage of the petition review process) alongside any evidence submitted by the other interested parties. The deciding party at each stage of the process is to notify the student, in writing, of its decision and the basis for its decision. Students must advance their petition to subsequent review levels (such as from faculty member to program director to associate dean/dean as noted on the form), in writing to the appropriate party, within ten (10) business days of the date the student is notified of each decision.

For academic matters related to specific courses, the process normally begins with the faculty member involved, if appropriate. For program level policy exception requests, the process begins with the graduate program director. After review at the unit (college/school) level is complete, the petition form and evidence are submitted to the Office of the University Registrar (via email to registrar@chapman.edu) and then are routed to the Graduate Academic Council after recording.

Appealing a Decision of the Graduate Academic Council

Students may appeal a petition decision of the Graduate Academic Council to the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education. Such appeals must be supported by documented evidence demonstrating one or both of the following grounds for appeal:

• Evidence of a substantive violation of University policy at a prior level of review, or
• Compelling new evidence not previously available to the student that could serve as cause for reconsideration of the Council’s decision.

Students who wish to appeal to the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education must submit a written appeal within ten (10) business days of the date of the Graduate Academic Council’s decision letter. The written appeal must be submitted to the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education via email at GradEd@chapman.edu from the student’s Chapman email account. The subject line of the email must read “APPEAL OF GAC DECISION TO THE AVPGE” and the body of the email should include the student’s full name and ID number, not the subject line. Students should not use the Graduate Petition form for Graduate Academic Council decision appeals. Within the email, the student must include the following:

• A signed cover statement presenting the reasons for the appeal with specific reference to one or both of the grounds for appeal described above. Submissions without grounds for appeal will be returned without review.
• Supporting documentation, including a copy of the original petition appeal and all materials previously submitted.
• A copy of all previous written decisions regarding the petition.

Students will be notified of the decision of the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education in writing. The decision of the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education on the student academic appeals is final and there is no additional process of appeal.

Professionalism Petitions and Appeals

For matters related to a student’s professional conduct while enrolled in a graduate degree program, students are expected to fulfill the expectations and standards stated in the graduate program’s handbook (and/or other governing document, such as an accreditor’s requirements or licensing board’s standards) as well as the Chapman University Student Code of Conduct. The Graduate Academic Council does not accept petitions nor appeals related to professionalism; such petitions or appeals are subject to policies and procedures of the graduate program’s handbook (and/or other governing document) and/or the Chapman University Student Code of Conduct.

Non-Academic Cases

Non-academic matters involving student misconduct are governed by the Chapman University Student Code of Conduct, including the applicable appeal process.  If students have concerns about non-academic matters, they should first discuss the matter with the head of the appropriate University department or office (facilities management, business office, etc.) and follow up, where necessary, with the appropriate department supervisor.

Grade Review Policy

Professors, as experts in their fields, have the final authority in assigning student grades, except for cases involving clear evidence of capricious grading or failure to follow the professional standards of the discipline.

Faculty members may change final grades after submission to the Office of the University Registrar only to fix a clerical error. Furthermore, additional work may not be assigned to enable the student to receive a higher grade.

However, a student who believes they have received a grade based on capricious or unprofessional grading may request a Grade Review, which is an explanation of the grade and reconsideration, from the instructor. Students may submit evidence in conjunction with the Grade Review request, and the instructor will consider all evidence submitted. As a professional scholar and educator, the instructor should be able to explain the grading criteria, how the criteria meet the standards of the discipline, and how the student’s grade is derived from these criteria. All Grade Review requests must be submitted in writing from Chapman student’s email to the instructor, within 30 calendar days from the date the grade was assigned; the instructor has ten (10) business days to respond in writing by email to the student’s written request.

If decided unfavorably for the student by the instructor or if the student has received no response from the instructor after 10 business days, the student may request a Grade Review from the graduate program director (or from the associate dean if the program director is the instructor of the course). A Grade Review request must be submitted, in writing from Chapman student’s email, to the program director (or associate dean if the program director is the instructor) by the student either (1) within ten (10) business days of receiving the instructor’s decision, or (2) within ten (10) business days of the closure of the 10-business-day response period in cases of instructor non-response.

The program director (or associate dean) notifies the student of its decision in writing by email within 10 business days. After the program director (or associate dean) notifies the student of its decision in writing, the student may request a Grade Review by the dean of the academic unit provided the following grounds for further review are demonstrated:

• Substantive evidence that the grade review process was not followed in accordance with the grade review policy, or
• Compelling new evidence not previously available to the student that could serve as cause for reconsideration of the prior decision.

Any request for review by the dean must be submitted in writing within ten (10) business days of the student’s receipt of the decision from the graduate program director (or from the associate dean). Students should submit their request via Chapman email directly to the dean’s email address. The subject line of the email should state “DEAN GRADE REVIEW REQUEST” and the student’s full name and ID number should be in the body of the email, not the subject line. The student’s email must include the following:

• A signed cover statement presenting the reasons for the Grade Review request with specific reference to one or both of the grounds described above. Submissions without grounds will be returned without review.
• Documentation, including a copy of the original Grade Review request and all materials previously submitted.
• A copy of all previous written decisions regarding the Grade Review.

The student will be notified of the decision of the dean in writing within 10 business days.

After the dean notifies the student of their decision, the student may appeal to the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education (AVPGE) and request a review of the Grade Review process. The student can appeal only if there is substantive evidence that the grade review process was not followed by the dean in accordance with the grade review policy. A review of the Grade Review process by the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education is procedural only and is not an opportunity for another review of the arguments and evidence previously presented by the student.

The appeal to the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education must be submitted within ten (10) business days of the student’s receipt of the decision from the dean’s office. Students should submit their appeal via Chapman email directly to GradEd@chapman.edu. The subject line of the email should state “AVPGE GRADE REVIEW PROCESS REQUEST” and the student’s full name and ID number should be in the body of the email. The student’s email must include the following:

• A signed cover statement presenting the reasons for the appeal and the request for a review of the Grade Review process with specific reference to substantive evidence that the Grade Review process was not followed by the dean in accordance with the grade review policy. Submissions without grounds will be returned without review.
• Documentation, including a copy of the original Grade Review request and all materials previously submitted.
• A copy of all previous written decisions regarding the Grade Review.

The Associate Vice President for Graduate Education will notify the student of their decision within ten (10) business days and will remand the Grade Review request back to the dean for reconsideration if the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education determines that the presented evidence supports the assertion that the Grade Review process was not followed by the dean in accordance with the grade review policy.

Graduation Policies

Student Responsibility

It is the responsibility of each graduating student to refer to their program evaluation in “studentcenter.chapman.edu” to check which requirements have been completed and which requirements still need to be completed. A student may not shift this responsibility to an adviser or to the staff of the Office of the University Registrar. It is recommended that students check their program evaluation regularly. Checking the program evaluation after registration will ensure that the courses for which the student has just registered meet the needed requirements for graduation. Questions should always be referred to the Office of the University Registrar.

Application for Degree Conferral

Although a student may have completed all requirements, degree conferral is not automatic. Every degree candidate is required to submit the online Application for Degree Conferral with the Office of the University Registrar. If the student should fail to complete requirements by the intended conferral date, the student must immediately request a future conferral date by emailing conferral@chapman.edu via their Chapman email account. If a student fails to complete requirements and has not requested the application be moved to a future date, the Office of the University Registrar will move the intended graduation date to the next conferral period.

Submission of the application is done online via “studentcenter.chapman.edu.” For information and application deadlines, refer to the Chapman University website. Refer to the Academic Calendar  for conferral dates.

Applicants for degree conferral must plan to complete their program requirements by the end of the semester/trimester for which they applied. All degree requirements must be completed and received at the Registrar’s Office by the last day of the month in which the degree is to be conferred. If degree requirements cannot be completed, a new application for a subsequent academic term must be submitted, along with applicable fees and deadlines. It is recommended students choose the next available conferral date after all degree requirements are met; students may not delay degree conferral to later terms once their program requirements have been completed. Doctoral and master’s degree requirements must be completed within a seven-year period. (see Time Limitation policy).

Commencement

Formal University commencement ceremonies are held annually in May. To participate in the ceremonies, students must submit an online participation form. To be eligible at the time of the participation form deadline, students must have filed the Application for Degree Conferral and the student’s official program evaluation must indicate that the student is on course to complete all degree requirements satisfactorily (including comprehensive examination or defense of thesis/dissertation) by the deadlines. Students receiving degrees in December, January or at the end of the summer are entitled to participate in the following May commencement ceremonies.

The James L. Doti Outstanding Graduate Student Award

The James L. Doti Outstanding Graduate Student Award is awarded annually and is the highest honor for graduate students at Chapman University. Two Doti awards, one for a master’s degree student and one for a Ph.D. student, are granted. The original Doti award trophy, incorporating artist Nick Hernandez’s sculpture Emergence, remains on perpetual exhibit in Argyros Forum. Upon the trophy is engraved the names of all Doti Award recipients since 2013. The recipients must exhibit academic excellence and outstanding professional leadership during their graduate school matriculation at Chapman University.

Release of Transcripts and Diplomas

No diplomas are released to any student who (1) has an unpaid balance to Chapman University or to any Chapman sponsored agency or (2) who has not completed the required Financial Aid exit interview. Additionally, Ph.D. students must complete the National Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) and provide a copy of their certificate via email to the Office of the Registrar at aps@chapman.edu to have their diploma released.

Diplomas are mailed out approximately four to six weeks after the date of conferral of the degree. Under no circumstances will a diploma be released prior to the conferral date.

Unless otherwise allowed by Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations, all official transcripts are issued only with written permission of the student. Information on requesting official transcripts is available at www.chapman.edu/transcripts. Unofficial transcripts are available only via “studentcenter.chapman.edu”.

Graduate Student Posthumous Degree & Recognition Policy

Upon the recommendation of the faculty of the graduate program and with the approval of the Graduate Academic Council, recently deceased graduate students who meet the following requirements at the time of their death may be awarded a Posthumous Degree:

• Must have completed at least three-quarters (75%) of the required credits for their graduate program.
• Must have finished the required number of “in residence” credits at Chapman University.
• Must have been in good academic standing as stipulated by the graduate program’s requirements and the greater university.

Upon the recommendation of the faculty of the graduate program and with the approval of the Graduate Academic Council, recently deceased students who meet the following requirements at the time of their death may be awarded a Certificate of Academic Achievement in the field of their graduate program of study:

• Must have earned at least 25% but less than 75% of the required credits in their graduate program.
• Must have been in good academic standing as stipulated by the graduate program’s requirements and the greater university.

To be considered for either recognition, students must have been enrolled at the time of their death (excluding summer) or up to the time that their illness or circumstances forced them to take a leave from the university. In special circumstances, the Graduate Academic Council may also consider the granting of Posthumous degrees for former students who have had a long-term or continued association with the university.

Nominations for posthumous graduate degrees/certificates of academic achievement must be received within two years of the student’s passing. Nominations may be initiated by any of the following: a family member, a faculty member, or administrator. Nominations must be submitted to the dean of the school/college in which the deceased student’s program resided and forwarded to the Graduate Academic Council for consideration by March 1 annually. Recognitions will be presented each May during commencement weekend unless requested by the family not to do so.

For Posthumous Degrees:

1. Wording for Registrar and Provost’s Office: Posthumous degrees or certificates must clearly state that they are “awarded” rather than “earned” degrees.
2. Wording for diploma: Same as usual, but with “Awarded Posthumously” at bottom.
3. Any costs related to the preparation and delivery of the diploma will be paid by the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education.

For Certificates of Academic Achievement:

1. Wording should be as below and on Chapman University certificate paper and framed, with costs paid by the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education.

The Faculty of the University by virtue of the authority vested in them recognize.

Faculty Rights and Procedures Regarding Student Classroom Behavior

Faculty members are responsible for ensuring an effective learning environment for all students in their classes, which encourages active student participation, including the right to raise questions and challenge information. Hence, faculty members also have the responsibility and authority to maintain appropriate student behavior. Classes are defined as including laboratories, internships, field placements or any settings that can be designated as a learning environment, such as travel studies and field trips.

Consequently, if a faculty member believes a student is engaging in threatening or disruptive behavior in the classroom, behaving in a way that interferes with the learning of other students, or is refusing to fulfill the academic requirements of the course, the faculty member has the right to have this student removed from the class on an interim basis. The faculty member should immediately report the matter to the appropriate dean and department chair or academic unit head. The faculty member may also request the assistance of the Dean of Students to provide advice or to mediate the dispute.

If the faculty member believes the student should be removed from the class for the remainder of the term, the faculty member should file a report with the Dean of Students and an expedited investigation will be conducted to determine whether the student’s behavior has violated the Disruption policy or other policy contained in the Student Conduct Code. If the student is charged with a violation, the hearing process will be expedited as well. The student may not return to class until the disciplinary process outlined in the Student Conduct Code is complete. In some instances, arrangements can be made for the student to complete the course requirements in absentia. A student may submit an appeal as outlined in the Student Conduct Code. Appeals will receive an expedited review and decision.

Academic Integrity

This policy applies to all graduate programs except for the School of Pharmacy and Fowler School of Law. 

The School of Pharmacy policy (pending Senate approval) follows the same protocols as the general Chapman University Academic Integrity Policy (below), with two modifications:

• Professors will consult the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs when deciding on the sanction for the first violation.
• The Academic Affairs Committee will review all cases that result in dismissal from the program.

The Fowler School of Law policy (pending Senate approval). Beginning in the fall semester of the 2024-25 Academic Year, all Fowler School of Law Students are subject to the Chapman University Academic Integrity Policy. This document provides language regarding the initiation of matters under that policy that are specific to the Fowler School of Law.

Both academic integrity policies can be found on the Chapman University Academic Integrity Policy webpage.

Principle

Chapman University Mission Statement

The mission of Chapman University is to provide personalized education of distinction that leads to inquiring, ethical and productive lives as global citizens.

Academic Integrity at Chapman

Chapman University is a community of scholars that emphasizes the mutual responsibility of all members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work, and academic
dishonesty of any kind will be subject to sanction by the instructor/administrator and referral to the University’s Academic Integrity Committee, which may impose additional sanctions up to and including expulsion.

The five fundamental values of academic integrity as defined by The International Center for Academic Integrity include: honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Furthermore, “the courage to act on [on
these values] even in the face of adversity, [is] truly foundational to the academy. Without them, everything that we do in our capacities as teachers, learners, and researchers loses value […] More than merely abstract
principles, the fundamental values serve to inform and improve ethical decision-making capacities and behavior. They enable academic communities to translate ideals into action.” (ICAI, The Fundamental
Values of Academic Integrity, third edition. 2021)

The Academic Integrity policy and procedure for students and instructors are separated into several sections. Information about possible violations and consequences are included in the section for students. The section
for instructors explains the range of violations, suggests appropriate sanctions, and offers step-by-step instructions for reporting a violation.

Link for students: Information about procedure, Explanation of possible violations
Link for instructors: Information about the procedure for reporting a possible violation

Authority

The Academic Integrity Committee (AIC) is charged by the Faculty Senate under the Faculty Constitution and bylaws to be responsible for defining academic integrity and establishing policies and procedures for hearing and sanctioning alleged violations of academic integrity. The committee shall make policies and procedures for students and faculty related to the violations, hearings, sanctions and appeals as stipulated by Chapman University’s policies on academic integrity. The committee includes:

1. Faculty membership: The committee shall include at least three faculty members from diverse disciplines, one of whom must teach in graduate programs, plus the chair (at least four faculty total). All faculty members serve two-year, staggered terms.
2. Chair: The chair shall be elected from among the second year/returning faculty members.
3. Ex-officio members: The Dean of Students or their designee shall serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member.
4. Student members: One undergraduate student appointed by the Student Government Association and one graduate student appointed by the Graduate Student Association, shall serve on the committee. Newly elected officers will identify student representatives in the spring prior to the year that they will serve. Student members will complete FERPA training before attending their first meeting.
5. Voting privileges: Faculty and student members serve as voting members of the committee.

Academic Integrity Policy

Actions that may lead to violations of the academic integrity standards can take a number of forms including, but not limited to, cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, misrepresentation of academic records, violation of professional ethics and the facilitation of academic dishonesty. For a detailed description of possible violations, click here.

Guidelines to avoid an accusation of academic dishonesty:

• Understand the instructor’s expectations for the course.
  • In addition to the five fundamental principles (honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility), many classes have discipline-specific academic integrity standards. These should be explained in the syllabus and in class by the instructor.
• When completing work for class, cite all sources.
  • Sources must be cited whenever the words and/or ideas of someone else are used. All work must be cited, from homework assignments to major projects.
• Do your own work.
  • Unless working on a group project, or shared work is explicitly permitted by the instructor.
• During assessments, carefully read and follow the instructor’s instructions.
  • Be sure to use only resources that are allowed. During the assessment, turn off all electronic devices that are not permitted. During an in-class exam, do not look at the work of other students. If there is a question regarding the parameters of the exam, contact the instructor for clarification.
• Plan ahead.
  • When rushed, there may be a temptation to use resources that are not permitted. Time management is important. Allow time to make an appointment with the instructor for guidance and support. Communicate with the instructor should any problems arise.
• Understand what constitutes academic integrity.
  • Carefully read this policy. Ask the Academic Integrity Committee (email: aic@chapman.edu) or the instructor any questions regarding academic integrity. Some students are unaware that they have committed a violation until it is reported by the instructor. Be proactive.
• If you are uncertain, don’t do it!
  • If something feels wrong, get information. Ask the instructor for guidance before turning in the work.

Academic Integrity Sanctions

The instructor and/or the AIC may initiate sanctions in any order, if the circumstances so warrant. Nothing in the policy shall be construed to limit the right of the AIC to impose any form of discipline on a student without a prior violation, including suspension or expulsion. Generally, the order of recommended sanctions are as follows:

First violation: Sanctions for a first violation are determined by the instructor and/or the AIC. Depending on the severity of the violation, sanctions generally range from 0 on the assignment to failing the course. If the recommended sanction is an F grade for the course, the student cannot drop the course and the F grade cannot be eliminated by retaking the course. In addition to the instructor-imposed sanction, a letter from the
AIC explaining the violation and the imposed sanction will be sent to the student and placed in their permanent file.

Second (and subsequent) violations: In addition to the instructor’s sanction, the AIC may also impose a sanction appropriate to the nature of the violation, which may include, but is not limited to, a warning, a recommendation for suspension, or recommendation for expulsion from the University. When appropriate, the AIC may also have the student write a short reflection paper.

• For students who complete undergraduate as well as graduate work at Chapman, the AIC will only consider more than one violation under the same designation as a second offense. That is, a violation as an undergraduate and a violation as a graduate will both be considered first offenses.
  • Programs retain the right to address academic integrity violations according to their own policies.

Sanctions

The sanction given to a student is entirely up to the instructor/administrator based on the severity of the violation. Sanctions may include but are not limited to:
Disciplinary warning.

• A make-up assignment that may be more difficult than the original assignment.
• No credit for the original assignment/exam.
• A failing grade on the assignment/exam.
• A reduced final grade for the course.
• A failing grade for the course.
• Denial of access to internships or research programs.
• Referral to Dean of Students for unintentional plagiarism (see below).

Unintentional plagiarism

Students should review this policy and understand what constitutes plagiarism. However, if a student reasonably lacks a clear understanding of what constitutes plagiarism such that their actions are considered unintentional in a particular case, in lieu of a grade sanction, instructors may refer students to the Dean of Students for additional training and educational lessons on plagiarism and how to avoid it. If the student completes this program satisfactorily by the assigned deadline, the violation will not be noted in the student’s file unless a subsequent violation occurs. The AIC will retain record of the incident, which will be treated as a first violation if the student commits a second academic
integrity violation. If the student does not complete the training, then a grade sanction will apply (which will be determined by the instructor). The student retains the right to appeal the sanction.

Additional Information on Sanctions

• When an alleged violation occurs at the Tutoring, Learning and Testing Center, the Testing Center will notify the faculty and student. The instructor may request to see the video taken during the exam to aid in determining whether a possible violation has occurred. If so, the instructor should follow the procedure for requesting that an AIC designee attend a meeting with the student.
• A student cannot withdraw from a course before receiving the violation notification from the AIC. If a student withdraws prior to notification, the AIC may reinstate the student to the course. Withdrawing from a class does not automatically remove the violation report.
• After the sanction has been determined, a student may withdraw from the class with the instructor’s permission, providing that the alleged violation occurred during the university deadline for withdrawing, and provided the sanction is not a failure for the course. Withdrawing from a class does not automatically remove the violation report.
• If instructor assigns an automatic course grade of F as a result of an academic integrity violation, it cannot be removed from the calculation of the GPA should the course in question be repeated. If the instructor imposes a lesser sanction which results in a course grade of F, repeating the course will replace the F in the GPA calculation.
• Any grade received as a result of a second academic integrity violation cannot be removed from the calculation of the GPA should the course in question be repeated.
• For students taking a course P/NP, the instructor may choose to impose the letter grade of an “F” as the sanction for an academic integrity violation.
• The AIC sanction letter will be placed in the student’s file in the Office of the Provost along with the instructor’s report.
• A copy of the letter will also be sent to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and the University Registrar.
• False statements made during the course of the process may result in additional sanction(s) and a referral to the Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students for a Student Conduct Code violation.

Interim Action

• The Provost or their designee may suspend the student from one or more classes, experiential clinics or labs for an interim period prior to resolution of the academic integrity proceeding if they believe that the information supporting the allegations of academic misconduct is reliable and determine that the continued presence of the student in classes or experiential assignments poses a significant threat to any person or property.
• The Provost or their designee must provide a written notice of the interim suspension to the student, with a copy to the Provost and the Dean of Students Office. The interim suspension will become effective immediately on the date of the written notice.
• A student who is suspended for an interim period may request a meeting with the Provost or their designee to review their decision and to respond to the allegations that they pose a threat by making a written request to the Provost or their designee for a meeting. The Provost or their designee will schedule the meeting no later than five (5) days following receipt of the written request and decide whether the reasons for imposing the interim suspension are supported by the evidence.
• The interim suspension will remain in effect until a final decision has been made on the pending academic misconduct charges or until the Provost or their designee determines that the reasons for imposing the interim suspension no longer exist or are not supported by the available evidence.

Information for Faculty

Important Guidelines for Instructors

1. Course outlines should include the academic integrity principle statement and refer students to the catalog for more information.
2. To encourage compliance with academic integrity standards, instructors shall make an effort to explain to students at the outset of a course or the start of an examination the behavior expected of them when taking examinations or when preparing and submitting other course work.
3. Instructors should have students sign the honesty pledge at the beginning of the course. 
4. Instructors should address with students when (or if) it is appropriate to use artificial intelligence for class work. The syllabus should include a statement reflecting this policy.
5. Instructors should be attentive to student behavior during assessments.
6. At the instructor’s discretion, the instructor may submit work to plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin for review without prior notice to students.
7. Instructors should avoid the reuse of questions and/or create multiple versions of exams, when possible.
8. In all cases of alleged violations of academic integrity, instructors must maintain confidentiality and not disclose information beyond those individuals who have a legitimate need to know.
9. Instructors must collect accurate records of academic integrity violations and submit those records to the AIC chair at the Office of the Provost.
10. Instructors should encourage students who have been accused of an academic integrity violation to contact the Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students or designee, who can serve as a resource.

Procedure for Charging a Student with a Violation

When an instructor or member of the Tutoring, Learning and Testing Center staff has evidence of an alleged violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, the steps listed below should be followed:

1. Notify the student by Chapman e-mail and/or personal communication of the allegation within 10 calendar days. If grades have been submitted already and the instructor’s sanction impacts the final course grade, the instructor can submit a grade change request to the Registrar’s Office following completion of the academic integrity process. Violations must be reported within 1 month of the deadline for submitting final grades.
2. Arrange a meeting with the student and course instructor to be held as soon as possible, but with at least three (3) business days’ notice to the student. Any discussion of the details of the alleged violation or of the sanctions should be reserved for the meeting.
   • If the student fails to attend a scheduled initial meeting with the instructor without a compelling excuse, the student may not appeal the violation report and/or sanction to the AIC.
   • If at the end of a semester a student is no longer available for a meeting with the instructor, the instructor should make every reasonable effort to contact the student by Chapman e-mail to discuss the matter. If reasonable attempts to contact the student fail, the instructor may resolve the issue by submitting an academic integrity violation report form, which the student has the right to later appeal to the AIC.
   • Both instructor and student may invite witnesses with first-hand information to the meeting who can knowledgeably provide relevant information about the alleged infraction.
3. Use the form available on the academic integrity website to request that a faculty designee of the AIC be present as an observer at the meeting at least 48 hours before the scheduled meeting time. The AIC designee will:
   • Ensure that the student knows where to find the Academic Integrity Policy and direct the student to the catalog.
   • Inform the student that they have the right to appeal the violation report and/or sanction to the AIC based on the guidelines provided in the catalog for appealing a violation report and/or sanction to the AIC.
   • Advise the instructor to submit the report of academic integrity violation no later than 14 calendar days after the meeting.
   • While the designee will facilitate the meeting, they will not decide whether a violation has occurred, or which sanction will be imposed. 
4. Be familiar with the guidelines for sanctions to determine an appropriate sanction for the type of violation.
   • A list of common instructor-imposed sanctions for various violations of academic integrity is provided below.
   • Instructors are encouraged to use these guidelines to ensure consistency and fairness in assessing student sanctions.
5. In the meeting, present the student with the allegation and all evidence in support of the charge against the student. The student should be given the opportunity to respond and, if they wish, to submit evidence refuting the allegation.
6. At the conclusion of the meeting, the instructor determines if it is more likely than not that the student has violated the Academic Integrity Policy, and if so, the instructor charges the student with a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy.
   • If the student is found responsible, the instructor will impose a suitable sanction. Examples of violations and common sanctions can be found in this policy. The designee will inform the student that they will receive a sanction letter from the AIC.
   • If the instructor needs more time to decide on the case, the instructor should give the student a reasonable timeframe for a response. A grade of Incomplete may also be assigned by the instructor if academic integrity is in question at the time grades are due and the instructor or AIC require more time to resolve the issue. (See Academic Policies and Procedures in the catalog for more details on “Incomplete Grades.”)
7. After notifying the student of the sanction in writing by university e-mail, the instructor should complete the academic integrity violation report form which can be found on the academic integrity website.
8. The completed academic integrity violation report form and other pertinent documents must be submitted as soon as possible, but not later than 14 calendar days after the meeting unless there are exceptional circumstances and an extension has been granted by the AIC chair.
9. The form and documents should be sent by e-mail to aic@chapman.edu. In most cases, submission of this form and documents will complete the academic integrity violation process for the instructor.
10. The student will receive a letter of sanction from the AIC chair along with information for appealing the violation report and/or sanctions.

Sanctions

The sanction given to a student is entirely up to the instructor/administrator based on the severity of the violation. However, the AIC provides below a list of typical sanctions for academic integrity violations to help guide instructors.

In addition, other sanctions may include but not be limited to:

• Disciplinary warning.
• A make-up assignment that may be more difficult than the original assignment.
• No credit for the original assignment/exam.
• A failing grade on the assignment/exam.
• A reduced final grade for the course.
• A failing grade for the course.
• Denial of access to internships or research programs.
• Referral to Dean of Students for unintentional plagiarism (see below).

Unintentional plagiarism

Students should review this policy and understand what constitutes plagiarism. However, if a student reasonably lacks a clear understanding of what constitutes plagiarism such that their actions are considered unintentional in a  particular case, in lieu of a grade sanction instructors may refer students to the Dean of Students for additional training and educational lessons on plagiarism and how to avoid it. If the student completes this program satisfactorily by the assigned deadline, the violation will not be noted in the student’s file unless a subsequent violation occurs. The AIC will retain record of the incident, which will be treated as a first violation if the student commits a second academic
integrity violation. If the student does not complete the training, then a grade sanction will apply (which will be determined by the instructor). The student retains the right to appeal the sanction.

Information for Students

The University adopts the definition of academic integrity of the International Center for Academic Integrity, which identifies five components of academic integrity: honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Furthermore, “the courage to act on [on these values] even in the face of adversity, [is] truly foundational to the academy. Without them, everything that we do in our capacities as teachers, learners, and researchers loses value […] More than merely abstract principles, the fundamental values serve to inform and improve ethical decision-making capacities and behavior. They enable academic communities to translate ideals into action.” (ICAI, The Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity, third edition. 2021)

1.  Academic dishonesty can take a number of forms, such as:

• Plagiarism - presenting the words, research findings or ideas of another person (or an artificial intelligence) as your own.
• Cheating through the use of unauthorized assistance - the use of unauthorized assistance, information or study aids on any academic exercise.
• Cheating through the use of unauthorized collaboration - working with others without specific permission of the instructor.

(Please see the academic integrity violations section below for additional examples and explanations.)

2.  Students should strictly avoid any appearance of academic dishonesty.

3.  Students should be aware and adhere to instructor guidelines for projects, papers and exam situations including use of appropriate citations and/or use of artificial intelligence.

4.  Students who discover an apparent violation of this policy should report the matter to the instructor or the AIC.

Appealing to the Academic Integrity Committee

If the student accepts responsibility for the charge and the imposed sanction, then the matter is immediately resolved. If the violation represents a second violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, the AIC will review the case regardless of whether the student decides to appeal the violation report and/or sanction. The review of additional sanctions imposed by the committee for a student with more than one violation will typically take place either after the window for the
student appealing the second violation has closed or after the appeal process has ended for the second violation.

1.  Any student who has received an AIC sanction letter is encouraged to schedule a meeting with the Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students or designee to discuss the situation prior to appealing the case. 

Students retain the right to appeal whether or not the instructor has submitted the case to the AIC. Contact the AIC at aic@chapman.edu to initiate the appeal process.

2.  If the student disagrees with the violation report, the sanction, and/or the prohibition to withdraw, the student can appeal any of the above to the AIC by writing an appeal letter addressed to the AIC chair. The appeal letter and any supporting documents should be sent via e-mail to aic@chapman.edu.

• Appeals must be made within 10 Chapman University business days from the date of the sanction letter.
• In exceptional circumstances, a student may request additional time to appeal the violation report and/or sanction by e-mailing aic@chapman.edu, addressed to the AIC chair. Extensions are granted at the sole non-appealable discretion of the AIC chair.
• Requests for extensions must be made within ten (10) Chapman University business days of the date of the sanction letter.

3.  Appeals are not granted automatically as they must be thoughtful, well-reasoned and substantive and must demonstrate that at least one of the following criteria exists:

• New evidence not available at the time of the meeting with the faculty member/administrator has become available and is potentially sufficient to alter the faculty member/administrator decision.
• There was a substantive procedural error made in charging the student.
• The sanction(s) imposed was not appropriate for the violation of Academic Integrity that occurred.
• The facts in the case were insufficient to establish that a violation of the policy occurred. 

Appeals must also include pertinent evidence supporting one of the above criteria and, when available, names of witnesses the student requests be called who have first-hand information about the matter. Evidence submitted will be reviewed by the AIC chair and may be denied if cumulative or not probative of the disputed facts or to the determination of the case.

4.  The AIC chair will notify the student via Chapman e-mail whether or not the AIC has determined that there are grounds to conduct a hearing. Should the AIC determine there are grounds to conduct a hearing, the AIC will notify the student of the hearing and where it will be held at least five (5) Chapman University business days in advance of the scheduled hearing date.

5.  If the AIC decides to hear the student’s case, the following individuals will be invited to participate:

• The AIC chair and the AIC faculty members.
• The student representatives on the AIC.
• The Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students or their designee (ex-officio, non-voting).
• The student.
• Any other persons called by the AIC chair, including material witnesses (such as the faculty member) whom the student or the AIC members deem relevant to the case.
• The student may also invite one person to provide support (e.g., friend or family member). This support person may not speak for the student and this individual may not be an (practicing or non-practicing) attorney.
• A quorum is necessary for all AIC business. A quorum is defined as three (3) voting members of the AIC.

6.  Should the student fail to appear at the hearing before the AIC, the AIC shall have full authority to proceed in the student’s absence. Any student that misses the scheduled hearing with the AIC forfeits the right to appeal the AIC’s decision to the Office of the Provost.

• If for any reason the student needs to reschedule the hearing with the AIC, the student must provide the committee at least 24 hours’ notice. Hearings will be rescheduled only for exceptional circumstances at the sole non-appealable discretion of the AIC chair.

7.  During the hearing, the student is invited to present a brief, concise and organized opening statement. 

The student may present relevant evidence to the AIC supporting their claims that the student previously provided with their appeal. New evidence will not be accepted at the hearing unless it can be demonstrated that it could not have been known or available to the student at the time the student submitted the appeal.

• The AIC chair may conclude the hearing at any time should the committee feel that the student is straying from the relevant facts of the case or reasons for the violation report and/or sanction to be vacated.
• Although the committee may ask the student to review briefly the events of the case, the student comments should focus primarily on specific reasons the violation report and/or sanction meet one of the above specified grounds for appeal.
• AIC members may ask the student questions about the case for clarification.
• The student and witnesses are expected to maintain proper decorum during the proceeding or risk being excused. If a student is excused, the hearing will continue in their absence.

8.  After the student has presented the case and all questions have been addressed, the student and faculty member will be excused and the AIC will deliberate. Deliberation may result in the following:

• A decision to uphold, modify or overturn the initial sanction. The AIC reserves the right to modify or overturn the instructor’s sanction.
• A determination that additional information is needed. In this case, the decision is suspended until all necessary information has been obtained. The AIC should notify the student of the suspension as soon as possible, but within a few days, after the meeting.

9.  After the AIC makes its decision, the chair will notify the student in writing and via Chapman e-mail. The standard of proof applied by the AIC is preponderance of the evidence. 

In applying this standard, the AIC will determine whether it is more likely than not that the student violated the Academic Integrity Policy of Chapman University.

Appealing to the Provost

If unsatisfied with the outcome of the AIC hearing to contest the violation report and/or sanction, the student may appeal the decision of the AIC to the Provost by e-mailing aic@chapman.edu within five (5) Chapman University business days of receiving the AIC decision letter. This period is known as “the appeal period.” A review will be conducted by the Provost or their designee.

In exceptional circumstances, a student may file a request to the Provost for an extension to the appeal period by e-mailing aic@chapman.edu. Requests for extensions must be made within the appeal period.

Appeals are not granted automatically as they must be thoughtful, well-reasoned and substantive and must demonstrate that at least one of the following criteria exists:

• New evidence not available at the time of the hearing has become available and is potentially sufficient to alter a decision.
• There was a substantive procedural error that may have prohibited the hearing from being conducted fairly in light of the violation report and/or sanction.
• The sanction(s) imposed was not appropriate for the violation of Academic Integrity that occurred.
• The facts in the case were insufficient to establish that a violation of the policy occurred.

Upon appeal, the Provost or their designee shall review the faculty member’s and/or the AIC’s decision, sanctions and supporting evidence, and any evidence provided by the student, and may confer with the faculty member and the student. The Provost or their designee shall have the authority to uphold, modify, or overturn the AIC’s decision and sanctions. 

The Provost or their designee shall notify the student, the faculty member and the Dean of Students in writing of their decision. The Provost or their designee’s decision is final on all Academic Integrity Policy violation cases. No further review or consideration will be granted following this decision.

Explanation of Possible Academic Integrity Violations

Academic Integrity Violations

Academic dishonesty can take a number of forms including, but not limited to the following:

- Cheating: Using or attempting to use unauthorized assistance, information or study aids in any academic exercise.

• Copying answers from or looking at another student’s exam.
• Accessing or possessing any material not expressly permitted during an exam, such as crib sheets, notes, books.
• Using electronic devices such as cell phones, digital cameras, PDA’s, data storage devices, computers, internet or other electronic devices unless expressly permitted by the instructor for the required coursework.
• Continuing to write after a timed exam has ended.
• Taking the exam from the room and later claiming the instructor lost it.
• Fraudulent possession of a test prior to exam date, or possession of a similar test (e.g. from a different section of a class) that has not been distributed back to students.
• Submission of the same term paper or other work to more than one instructor, where no prior approval has been given.
• Submission of purchased term papers or projects done by others.

- Fabrication: The falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.

• Changing answers after an exam has been returned.
• Falsifying/omitting data and/or sources, otherwise violating the ethical principles of research.
• Falsifying or altering records, related to fieldwork, praxis, clinical hours, patient/client records, or other course-related activities.

- Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Knowingly helping or attempting to help another to violate any provision of this policy.

• Allowing another student to copy one’s work.
• Having another person take an exam or complete an assignment for oneself.
• Taking an exam or completing an assignment for another student.
• If you upload your homework/exams/answers to a website, you may be facilitating academic dishonesty. Students should consult with their professor before posting such material online.

- Plagiarism: Representing the words, research findings or ideas of another person as your own in any academic exercise. [At their discretion, faculty may submit student work to plagiarism-detection software, such as Turnitin for review without prior notice to students.]

• Copying word for word without proper attribution.
• Paraphrasing without proper attribution.
• Using phrases from another source embedded into original material without proper attribution.
• Copying of intellectual property without proper attribution.

- Misrepresentation of Academic Records: Misrepresenting, tampering with or attempting to tamper with academic records, either before or after coming to Chapman University.

• Creating or altering a Chapman University transcript, diploma, verification of enrollment or any other official university document (In this case the student(s) may also face prosecution for violation of Federal and State statutes).
• Submitting false records or other documents such as transcripts from another institution.
• Failure to report all previous academic work at the time of admission.
• Failure to report all academic work attempted at other institutions after admission to the university.
• Forgery, alteration or misuse of official academic documents (e.g., petition forms, advising forms, internship forms, etc.).

- Other Violations:

• Violating professional ethics rules referenced or outlined in the honor codes or student handbooks of graduate or professional programs or colleges.
• Failing to observe rules of academic integrity established by a faculty member for a particular course.

Academic Integrity in Research

Chapman University students are expected to adhere to standards of ethics and integrity in research and scholarship. Misconduct in research includes fabrication, falsification, plagiarism or other practices that deviate significantly from those that are commonly accepted within the scholarly, creative and scientific community for proposing, conducting or reviewing research or in reporting research results. Key examples of such misconduct are listed below:

Plagiarism:

• Taking credit for someone else’s work and ideas, stealing others’ results or methods, copying the writing of others without acknowledgment or otherwise taking credit falsely.
• Taking or releasing the data of others which were given in the expectation of confidentiality, e.g., appropriating ideas from submitted grant or contract proposals, or manuscripts for publication when one is a reviewer for granting agencies or journals.

Falsification of Data:

• Dishonesty in reporting results, ranging from fabrication of data, improper recording of data, negligence in collecting or analyzing data, to selective reporting or omission of conflicting data.

Dishonesty in Presentation and Publication:

• Knowingly presenting material or publishing articles that will mislead listeners or readers, e.g., misrepresenting data (particularly its originality).
• Adding the names of other authors without permission or authors who have not earned the credit.
• Citing unpublished papers without permission or including inadequate footnote or endnote attributions so that readers cannot tell who produced which data.
• Publishing the same material more than once without identification of prior publication.
• Serving as a coauthor of a research paper or article without reviewing the material to be published.

Violation of Regulations:

• Failure to adhere to safe research practices or to receive the approval required for work under research regulations of federal, state, local or university agencies.
• Failure to adhere to Chapman University Institutional Review Board research procedures.
• Misuse of research funds.

Unethical Research Practices:

• Failing to report episodes of misconduct or breaches of research ethics as set forth in this policy.

Legal or Policy Violations:

• Stealing or destroying the property of others (research, research papers, supplies, equipment or products).
• Misuse of research funds.