Academic Procedures

Academic Procedures

The policies and procedures of the School of Biomedical Sciences (SBS) are determined by the Education Council and administered by the Dean.

Policies may be modified at any time by the Education Council. Students should review the policy website for additional policies and procedures concerning their roles as students.

General

Academic Misconduct

Cheating and plagiarism are types of academic misconduct for which penalties are described and assessed under the Student Code of Conduct and Civility (see Student Policy website).

All students are responsible for making themselves aware of the definitions and implications of academic misconduct. For further information on academic misconduct, penalties and appeal procedures, the student should refer to the Student Code of Conduct and Civility at the policy website.

Advising

Undergraduate

Each undergraduate student is assigned a Student Navigator to provide guidance in completing the degree requirements. The Student Navigator is responsible for coordinating and conducting focused academic advising and student support services to help the students persist in their program of study and establish career goals.

Graduate

Specialized MS students in the Medical Science discipline are assigned a faculty advisor. This advisor will assist the student in preparing to apply for professional or graduate programs after the completion of the MS degree; provide guidance for academic issues and decisions; and developing career goals. In addition to the assigned faculty advisor, the Assistant Dean for Specialized MS Programs is available to offer additional guidance.

Specialized MS students in the Clinical Research Management (CRM) discipline are advised by the CRM Program Director throughout their program of study in addition to the guidance provided by the major professor and advisory committee.

Traditional MS and PhD students matriculate as undifferentiated majors. During the first semester of study, students select a major professor that will mentor their graduate training experience. Prior to the major professor designation, the Assistant Dean for Education and Admissions provides academic advising. Once the student has selected a major professor, they will also select a discipline appropriate to the research conducted in that faculty member’s laboratory. Each discipline has a graduate advisor to provide oversight and additional guidance for students in that discipline.  The graduate advisor is the official representative of the Dean in matters affecting graduate students in the advisor’s discipline. There should be a close working relationship between the advisor and the staff of the School. The graduate advisor is the liaison between the graduate dean and the discipline. The graduate advisor should keep the relevant department chair and faculty informed on matters pertaining to graduate education. The Dean is dependent upon the experience and judgment of graduate advisors and upon their recommendations in matters requiring the dean’s action. The Dean’s staff provides information to the advisors on a continuing basis and responds to requests for special assistance. The graduate advisor is responsible for supervising graduate study in the discipline, monitoring progress toward degree including management of the oral qualifying examination process, serving as a member of the traditional M.S./Ph.D. admissions committee, and representing the faculty of the discipline as a member of the Education Council.

Leave of Absence

If a situation arises where a student must set aside their studies for a period of time, a leave of absence (LOA) may be requested. A LOA may be requested for up to three semesters. If additional leave is needed, a new form must be submitted. The maximum amount of LOA is six semesters (two academic years). LOA status may affect student loans.

The student initiates the request by obtaining the LOA form from the Registrar and Student Records Office, recieving the necessary signatures, and returning the completed form back to the Registrar and Student Records Office.

Toward the end of an approved LOA period, the student must take steps to resume studies at the beginning of the next semester, extend the LOA, or withdraw. To resume studies, the student obtains approval from the dean’s office and registers for classes. To extend the LOA, the student must complete and submit a new LOA Request. To withdraw, the student follows the normal procedures for withdrawal, including completion of the clearance process.

If a graduate student will be away from campus for more than five consecutive days, they are required to notify the account holder (if on payroll), major professor, and graduate advisor by completing the Temporary Leave of Absence form available on the Forms and Guidelines website. A graduate student will be placed on leave without pay if they are away from campus for more than fourteen consecutive days.

Graduation

It is the responsibility of the student to stay abreast of progress toward the degree and to file the appropriate degree application. Consult the Academic Calendar for the deadlines. A final cumulative grade point average of 2.5 for undergraduate students or 3.0 for graduate students is required to qualify for graduation.

Information concerning graduation fees is contained in the Tuition and Fee Register. Students anticipating graduation should consult the Academic Calendar for final dates for payment of fees and meeting other graduation requirements. All fines, fees, etc. must be cleared before the diploma will be issued. All necessary forms and instructions are available on the Graduation website.

Because of the time required to receive transcripts, students otherwise eligible for graduation who complete their last course or courses elsewhere will not graduate at the end of the semester in which the work is completed, but will receive their degrees at the close of the subsequent semester.

Commencement exercises are held each year in May; however, degrees are conferred at the end of each semester. All information related to commencement exercises is available from the Division of Student and Academic Affairs. Diplomas may be obtained from the Registrar and Student Records Office after verification is received from the School that all requirements for the degree have been satisfied.

Enrollment

Enrollment Requirements

To be considered enrolled full-time in a long semester (fall/spring), BS students must enroll in 12 semester credit hours(SCH); MS students must enroll in 9 SCH while PhD students must enroll in 12 SCH. BS students enrolled in 12 SCH; MS and PhD students enrolled in 6 SCH are considered full-time for the summer semester.

Graduate students enrolled in thesis, dissertation, individual research, internship practicum, or capstone courses less than 9 hours in the fall or spring semesters or 6 in the summer semester will be considered full-time.

Undergraduate students may schedule as many as 16 SCH during fall/spring and 8 SCH in a summer semester. Only in exceptional circumstances, and only with approval of the college dean or designated official, will students be allowed to exceed the stated course load limitations.

Advanced Placement Waivers and Transfers of Course Credit

Requests for advanced placement waiver and transfer of course credit for any course must be submitted by the student on or before the first day of enrollment. The student must then present all supporting documents to the Dean.

The student is required to attend all classes and take all examinations until a decision is made regarding the advanced placement request.

The Dean or designee will determine whether a course meets requirements for advanced standing or transfer course credit.

The decision regarding a request for advanced standing will be transmitted in writing to the student by the Dean, who will also notify the Registrar and Student Records Office, and the appropriate department or course director. All documentation supporting the decision will be sent to the Registrar and Student Records Office.

Courses for which advanced standing is granted are assigned a transcript designation of “T” and are not calculated in the cumulative weighted average.

Auditing

With the written permission of the instructor and the Dean, an individual fully eligible to enroll may observe a graduate class as an auditor without receiving graduate credit. The auditor’s name will not be entered on the class roster and the instructor will not accept any papers, tests, or examinations. Attendance as an auditor may not be used as the basis of a claim for credit in the course. Students who are enrolled for credit may audit classes without payment of additional fees; others pay an auditor’s fee as shown in the Tuition and Fee Register.

A person 65 years of age or older may enroll as an auditor and observer without credit and without payment of an auditor’s fee if space is available and if approved by the department chair and the Dean. Such enrollment entitles the person to library privileges, but not the use of laboratory equipment and supplies, or health benefits.

Auditing is not permitted for courses in the undergraduate or Medical Science curricula.

Concurrent Enrollment at Another Institution

Students must secure written permission from the Dean before registering for any course at another institution while registered for any courses at HSC at Fort Worth.

Failure to secure the required permission for concurrent enrollment prior to registration at the second institution may cause SBS to refuse degree credit for the work taken elsewhere. In no case may the combined total of semester hours enrolled for at the two institutions exceed the maximum load permitted to students.

Courses of Instruction

Semester credit hours are generally based on the hours per week required for the students to spend in educational activities outside of study time such as attending/reviewing lectures, participation in discussion boards, team-based learning activities, and examinations. A course that requires three 50-minute periods per week during a full 15-week semester is considered 3 credit hours. Individual courses of instruction are subject to change or cancellation at any time and may not be offered each semester of every year. Any course may be cancelled from current offerings if the number of registrants is too small to justify conducting the course.

Course Syllabus

The course syllabus contains specific educational requirements such as assignments, evaluations, grading and other conditions of performance that must be satisfactorily completed in order to receive a passing grade. Modifications to the requirements and procedures of a course may be made when judged necessary to improve instruction or to conform to scholastic regulation of the college.

Syllabi must be available on Canvas one week prior to the beginning of the semester. Syllabi will not be distributed for courses in laboratory techniques, individual research, internship practicum, thesis, or dissertation. All other courses must provide students with syllabi that include the following information as appropriate to the course: required texts, exam dates, lecture topics and assignments for each class meeting, attendance policy, course objectives, explanation of how grades will be determined, and information on contacting the course director. Syllabi must be on file prior to the first day of the semester.

Class Attendance and Participation

Regular and punctual class attendance/participation is expected. Although, in general, students are graded on intellectual effort and performance rather than attendance, absences may lower the student’s grade where class attendance and class participation are deemed essential by the instructor. In those classes where attendance is considered as part of the grade, the syllabus must include this information.

Federal regulations require that students enrolled in an online course establish attendance/participation each term to be eligible for federal financial aid. HSC at Fort Worth verifies student attendance in accordance with this regulation.

Logging into an online class is not sufficient, by itself, to demonstrate attendance by the student. Students must establish a record of participation in academically-related activities in order to comply with this requirement.

Academically related activities include, but are not limited to:

• submitting an academic assignment;
• taking an exam, an interactive tutorial or computer-¬assisted instruction;
• participating in an online discussion about academic matters or
• initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.

Students who do not engage in academically related activities prior to the census date, may have their federal financial aid eligibility adjusted.

Any instructor who informs students in writing about the necessity of class attendance/participation may request the Registrar and Student Records Office to drop a student from the course with a grade of WF upon the accumulation of the stated number of absences.

If the instructor-initiated drop action falls within the time that the student is eligible to drop with instructor consent and without penalty, the Registrar and Student Records Office notifies the student that a WF will be recorded unless the student initiates the drop procedure, in which case a W will be assigned.

For information regarding absence due to religious observances, visit the policy website.

Make-Up Examinations

A make-up examination is defined as an examination administered to a student in lieu of a regular course examination when the student has (1) arranged in advance to take an examination early or late or (2) missed taking a regularly scheduled examination. Make-up examinations are given only in the case of an approved absence or a documented medical excuse.

Approval is required from the appropriate assistant dean to authorize a make-up examination. If a make-up examination request is denied, the student may appeal to the Dean. After consulting with the Assistant Dean, the Dean will make the final decision on the appeal. A student who misses a scheduled examination without receiving approval by the appropriate Assistant Dean or the Dean either to take an early or late examination or to make up a missed examination, will receive a grade of zero for that examination.

To request an early or late make-up examination, a student must complete an online excused absence request for a make-up examination. In the case of an early examination, the completed form must be submitted at least five days before the date of the exam. If the student misses an exam because of a medical reason, a health care provider’s excuse must be attached to the excused absence form. This form documents the reason for the absence and the date the student requested the make-up examination.

If the absence is approved, a make-up examination will be administered within the appropriate time-frame determined by the course director or core curriculum director.

Final Examinations

If a final examination is administered, faculty members are expected to schedule it during the final class meeting.

If a final examination is not given in a particular course, the faculty member is expected to use the final examination period for summary, evaluation or other productive purposes.

Students who have as many as three final examinations scheduled on one day may appeal to the graduate dean to reschedule one of those examinations on another day during the final week of the semester.

Course Duplications

A student may enroll for a course a second time and have it counted as part of the semester’s load. If a course is repeated, the last grade recorded will be considered in calculating the GPA and in certifying the student’s eligibility for graduation.

The responsibility for initiating the official recording of a grade duplication lies entirely with the student. In the absence of such a request, the Registrar and Student Records Office will include a repeated course in the student’s cumulative record of hours attempted and grade points earned.

Courses may only be repeated one time unless a course is approved for multiple repetitions due to changing course content such as journal club or seminar courses.

Quality of Work Required

Undergraduate

Each student’s academic performance will be reviewed at the completion of every semester. To remain in good academic standing, an overall GPA of 2.5 or better must be maintained. See information below on Academic Standing.

Graduate

Each student’s academic performance will be reviewed at the completion of every semester. To remain in good academic standing, an overall GPA of 3.0 or better must be maintained. A graduate student earning an “F” in any graduate level course will be dismissed. See information below on Academic Standing.

Grade Requirements for the Graduate Integrated Core Curriculum

All graduate students must successfully complete an integrated core curriculum. Refer to “Academic Programs  ” in this document for a listing of courses required.

Students must make satisfactory progress toward completion of degree requirements in order to remain in good standing.

Master of Science Students

MS students must maintain an overall integrated core GPA of 3.0 or better to remain in good academic standing.

A Master of Science (MS) student may continue in their program in good standing with “C” grades in the core courses as long as the student’s overall GPA is maintained at 3.0 or better. If the student’s overall GPA falls below 3.0, they will be placed on academic probation and have one long semester to bring the overall GPA to at least 3.0.

Any MS student who has earned a “C” grade in a core course who then elects to apply for the PhD program after completing the master’s degree must retake the core courses in which the “C” grade was earned and obtain a “B” or better in the repeated course. The student will only be allowed one opportunity to retake the course(s) in question.

Doctor of Philosophy Students

PhD students must maintain an overall integrative core GPA of 3.0 or better to remain in good academic standing.

A student failing to achieve an overall core GPA of 3.0 or better but only receiving one “C” grade, will be required to remediate or retake the course in question and will be on probation until a grade of “B” or better is earned in the particular core course. The student who does not receive a “B” or better in a repeated course will be immediately dropped to the master’s program.

If a student has an overall core GPA of 3.0 or better after completing all core courses, but has earned one “C” grade for any core course, the student’s discipline policy will dictate if the student must retake the course in question and will be on probation until a grade of “B” or better is achieved in the particular core course. The student who does not receive a “B” or better in a repeated course will be immediately dropped to the master’s program. This student will not be readmitted to a PhD program until they have successfully completed the requirements for the MS degree. In the event that the student is subsequently admitted into the PhD program, they will have only one additional opportunity to earn a grade of B or better in the core course in which they previously failed to meet the quality of work required.

Remediation

Remediation courses consist of a period of directed self-study followed by a single comprehensive exam equivalent in depth, breadth, and total point value to those in the regular semester core course. The format of the exam is the same as the regular semester core course.  Points from course activities or class curve from the original semester the course is taken will be applied to the final grade. The student may consult with the course faculty upon request and course materials are available on Canvas.

The remediated course is considered equivalent to the original course. Thus, the grade earned in the remediated course will replace the previous grade in the grade point average calculation.

Students will only be allowed to remediate courses in which a grade of  D (undergraduate) or C (graduate) was earned. Students will not be allowed to remediate courses they failed; failed courses must be repeated.

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students whose overall GPA is below 2.5 may choose to remediate one course in which they originally earned a D. Courses available for remediation are:

• Analysis of Scientific Literature (BMSC 3101)
• Statistics for Biomedical Sciences (BMSC 3301)
• Biomedical Ethics (BMSC 3321)
• Scientific Communication for Health Professions (BMSC 3322)
• Introduction to Health Disparities (BMSC 3323)
• Introduction to Psychology (BMSC 3324)
• Introduction to Biochemistry (BMSC 3401)
• Human Anatomy (BMSC 3402)
• Human Physiology (BMSC 3403)
• Fundamentals of Microbiology (BMSC 3404)

Specialized MS Students

Specialized MS students (e.g., Medical Sciences and Clinical Research Management students) whose overall GPA is below 3.0 may choose to remediate one core course in which they originally earned a C. Courses that are available for remediation are:

• Biochemistry (BMSC 5301)
• Molecular Cell Biology (BMSC 5302)
• Immunology and Microbiology (BMSC 5303)
• Physiology (BMSC 5304)
   

Traditional MS and PhD Students

Traditional MS and PhD students may choose to remediate one core course in which they originally earned a C. Remediation occurs during the break between the fall and spring semesters. Courses that are available for remediation are:

• Fundamentals in Biomedical Science I (BMSC 6201)
• Fundamentals in Biomedical Science II (BMSC 6202)
• Fundamentals in Biomedical Science III (BMSC 6203)
• Fundamentals in Biomedical Science IV (BMSC 6204)

Academic Standing 

Academic Standing of Student Officers

A student must be in good academic standing to run for office in any student organization and must remain in good academic standing throughout the term of office, if elected.

Probation, Suspension and Dismissal

The good academic standing threshold for undergraduate students is 2.5; for graduate students, 3.0. A student who fails to maintain the required overall GPA will be subject to academic probation. If the student’s grades do not improve, the student may be subject to suspension for a period of up to one calendar year before becoming eligible to re-enroll. Courses completed elsewhere during a period of suspension from HSC Fort Worth will not be counted for credit toward the degree.

The student whose GPA falls below the threshold must make up the deficit, either by repeating courses in which the grades are low or by completing other courses with grades high enough to bring the GPA up to or above the threshold. Low grades made in HSC Fort Worth courses may not be duplicated at other institutions.

Students may be dismissed from the program for failure to make academic progress.

Appeal Processes

Specific policies and procedures have been established for students seeking to file academic or misconduct appeals. These policies and procedures appear on the policy website.

Advice concerning how to pursue appeals on any other matter can be sought from the Division of Student and Academic Affairs.