Standards of Performance and Evaluation

Hudson College of Public Health Academic Standards

The Hudson College of Public Health is responsible for review of the performance of the Certificate in Population Health, Master of Public Health (MPH), and Master of Health Administration (MHA) students in accordance with the guidelines described in this publication. The Hudson College of Public Health monitors the students’ academic progress and at the end of each semester or summer session, notifies students about their status if they fail to meet the standards of performance required by the College.

All students enrolled in both professional and graduate degree programs offered through the Hudson College of Public Health are expected to receive a letter grade of A or B in all courses taken. If a student receives a letter grade of C, they will be notified by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs that their academic performance is below the expected standard. Should the student receive a second grade of C, they will receive a letter from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs placing them on notice that any additional grades below a B may be grounds for dismissal from the degree program.

If at any time a student receives a failing grade of D or F in a course or if the student receives a third grade of C, the student may be required to meet with a subcommittee of the Admissions and Academic Advisement Committee appointed by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to show cause why they should not be dismissed from the degree program. Under special circumstances, the subcommittee may recommend continuation on academic probation due to specific issues as identified by the subcommittee. The subcommittee recommendation will be acted upon by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

If a student in the Certificate, MPH, or MHA degree program is placed on academic probation under this policy and subsequently receives an additional grade of C or less, they may be immediately dismissed from the degree program.

If a student is enrolled in the Master of Science (MS) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree program and is placed on academic probation under this policy and subsequently receives an additional grade of C or less, a recommendation may be forwarded to the Graduate Dean that the student be dismissed from the Graduate Program due to failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress.

Academic Probation

Students who fail to maintain an overall grade point average of 3.00 in all courses attempted will be placed on academic probation. Students will also be placed on probation if they fail to maintain satisfactory progress as determined by their annual evaluation or in receiving the grade of U. Students placed on academic probation for low GPA will be evaluated at the end of each subsequent semester. The probationary status will remain until the student raises the overall GPA to 3.00 or higher. The probationary requirements must be completed within nine credit hours of graded coursework or one calendar year from being placed on probation, whichever comes first. This is the probationary period, during which students must demonstrate satisfactory progress in improving their cumulative grade point average. Students placed on probation for a grade of U or for failure to maintain satisfactory progress will be evaluated at the end of the following semester. Receiving a grade of C, D, F, or U may be grounds for dismissal prior to completing the probationary period.

At the end of the probationary period, students who achieve a 3.00 cumulative grade point average and/or regain satisfactory progress will be returned to full status and will be allowed to continue their enrollment. Those who fail to achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 for all courses awarding grade points may be denied further enrollment after this probationary period. If the department or program wishes to recommend that the student merits an extension of the probationary period, the extension will be considered a second probationary period. The time limit of this extension must be specified by the department or program and approved by the Dean. The second probationary period will not exceed two consecutive academic terms.

Students are limited to two academic probations. If a student fails to maintain a 3.00 grade point average and the rules require probation for a third time, the student will be denied further enrollment and will be dismissed from the Hudson College of Public Health programs.

Departmental Standards

Each semester the Office of Student Services under the supervision of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will evaluate each student’s academic performance. A review of the student’s grades will be conducted to determine if the student is in good standing. Students who are not in good standing will be further evaluated and may be required to meet with the Admissions and Academic Advisement Committee as outlined in this section (Standards of Performance and Evaluation) of the Bulletin.

In addition, each student is encouraged to meet with his/her academic advisor each semester to review the student’s progress toward meeting degree requirements. In order to enroll each semester, the advisor must approve the student’s enrollment//progress. At this time, the advisor should discuss with the student the student’s career goals and professional development and academic performance.

Departments are encouraged to annually review all students in their program and should conduct extensive annual reviews on all doctoral students. The review may include, but is not limited to, considerations such as progress toward meeting conditions of admission; completion within the prescribed period of time of those courses in which the student has received the grade of I; completion of core course requirements; completion of special prerequisite requirements; progress toward completing practicum requirements; and the general quality of academic performance. The review also may encompass the student’s broader scholarly capabilities and professional development. Information on students who are deemed to be making unsatisfactory progress by the program should be sent to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for review. The student may be required to meet with a subcommittee of the Admissions and Academic Advisement Committee appointed by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to show cause as to why they should not be dismissed from the degree program. Reports or annual evaluations of MS and PhD students must be submitted to the Graduate Dean in accordance with Graduate College policies published in the Graduate College Bulletin.

Residence Requirements

The primary purpose of residence requirements is to encourage the educational and professional development of individuals seeking advanced degrees. The opportunity for the student to associate with the faculty and other students in the University community, to utilize the facilities on the campus, and to take advantage of a wide variety of cultural opportunities justifies a relatively extended campus stay. In addition, the University must be in a position to oversee the development of the candidate.

The student must be in residence at the University of Oklahoma and engaged in coursework or research activities prescribed by the major department/program for at least two regular semesters for each degree program.

Qualifying for an Advanced Degree or Certificate

To qualify for a degree or certificate, students must achieve an overall grade point average of 3.00 or higher in all courses comprising a part of the degree program. The grade of S, U, I, and X for which no grade points are awarded, are considered neutral in determining the graduating grade point average.