All advanced-degree students (including regularly, conditionally, and provisionally admitted) are expected to make satisfactory progress toward a specific academic degree. This includes

  • Maintaining a GPA of 3.00 or better for all courses taken as a graduate student and for courses included in the graduate program.
  • Participating in a creative activity such as a thesis. Additional details on satisfactory progress as defined by the Graduate School are found in the Graduate Catalog section on dismissal.
  • Meeting departmental or program requirements.

Many programs have program-specific guidelines for satisfactory progress. The following process is recommended for programs to use in the development of program-specific satisfactory progress guidelines:

  • The program develops satisfactory progress guidelines.
  • The program notifies students of the guidelines in a booklet or on a program website.
  • The program evaluates the progress of students regularly (at least annually, preferably more often).
  • The program informs students who are deficient in meeting satisfactory progress guidelines of their deficiencies and explains steps needed to comply with the guidelines.
  • If deficiencies persist, the program notifies the student in writing (letter, memo or email) that the student is being recommended to the Graduate School for dismissal.
  • The Graduate School sets a registration hold on the student.
  • The student may appeal to the program for reconsideration or may apply for admission to a different degree program. If the appeal is successful or if the student is accepted into a different program, the registration hold is removed.

Download a satisfactory progress template:

Graduate faculty members should check out the student progress for faculty page to learn more about student leave, grade requirements and more.