Graduate Enrollment in Study Abroad Programs
OFFICIAL DIVISIONAL POLICY
Policy on Graduate Enrollment in Study Abroad Programs at the College of Charleston
Contents
3.0 Policy Application and Exclusions
5.0 Policy Manager and Responsible Party or Office
6.0 Departments/Offices Affected by this Policy
7.0 Procedures Related to this Policy
8.0 Related Policies, Documents or Forms
1.0 Introduction
Consistent with the applicable provisions of College Policy 7.6.8, "Substantive Change," the College of Charleston (hereafter, "College") must provide appropriate prior notice regarding certain substantive changes in College operations to our regional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (hereafter, "SACSCOC"). This Divisional Policy aims to prevent the inadvertent creation of an off-campus site for the College, where a student can obtain 25-49% of the credits toward the completion of a graduate program of study. As many master's programs at the College require a minimum of 30-36 graduate credit hours for degree completion, a single graduate student registering for and completing as few as eight (8) graduate credit hours at a study-abroad location might violate the College and SACSCOC requirement for prior notification.
2.0 Statement of Policy
Unless approved in writing as a Policy exception, no degree-seeking graduate students at the College, including College students enrolled in joint or dual master's programs, shall be permitted to enroll for or earn more than six (6) graduate credit hours applicable to their programs of study as part of any study-abroad program(s).1
Unless approved in writing as a Policy exception, no students enrolled in a College of Charleston graduate certificate program shall be permitted to enroll for or earn any graduate study-abroad credit hours applicable to their programs of study. No graduate program director has the authority to approve any program of study that would result in 25% or more of graduate coursework for a graduate program being earned at an off-site location for which prior notification has not been given to SACSCOC, including such graduate study-abroad coursework offered by the College. The Graduate School and Registrar shall not clear for graduation any graduate student who has applied for graduation with 25% or more of the student's College of Charleston graduate coursework having been earned at an off-site location for which prior notification has not been given to SACSCOC.2
3.0 Policy Application and Exclusions
This Policy applies to graduate students who have matriculated in a graduate program leading to the receipt of a graduate credential (e.g., master's degree, graduate certificate).
The Policy does not apply to a student who has registered for graduate courses that will not apply to her or his program of study. Further, the Policy does not apply to a graduate student who has registered for undergraduate courses not applying to her or his program of study.
The Policy does not apply to a graduate student seeking approval for graduate transfer credit involving study-abroad experiences offered by another university. All relevant provisions of College Policy and the most recent Graduate Catalog govern the evaluation and approval of transfer credit for application to the program of study of any graduate student. College of Charleston students enrolled in joint graduate programs must not exceed six (6) graduate credit hours of study-abroad credit with the applicable program partner institution (e.g., The Citadel), except with an approved Policy exception as described in this Policy.
Should the provisions of this Policy be incompatible with the relevant policies or procedures of another university with which the College has joint or dual graduate programs, whether at the time this Policy initially is issued or at some future time when the Policy remains in effect, the College shall enter into discussions with the other institution with the aim of identifying a timely resolution to the conflict.
4.0 Policy Exceptions
Exceptions to this Policy shall require the written recommendation of the Graduate Dean, complete with a written explanation of why the exception will not lead to a violation of College Policy 7.6.8, and the written approval of the Provost (or the Provost's designee).
5.0 Policy Manager and Responsible Department or Office
Provost (or Provost's Designee), Office of the Provost
6.0 Departments/Offices Affected by this Policy
Office of the Provost
All Academic Deans, Departments, and Academic Programs
Graduate School
Office of the Registrar
Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning
7.0 Procedures Related to this Policy
Such Procedures may be developed by the Registrar, the Graduate School, or the individual graduate programs, consistent with the provisions of this Policy.
8.0 Related Policies, Documents, or Forms
College Policy 7.6.8, "Substantive Change"
College of Charleston Graduate Catalog
Policy Statement of Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on College, "Substantive Change for SACSCOC Accredited Institutions"
9.0 Review Schedule
Approved: September 2016
Next Review Date: October 1, 2021
1 See fn. 2 below. The College has no authority to restrict the enrollment of a graduate student who has matriculated at another university and has registered for courses with that university, even if the student participates in a joint or dual degree program with the College. The College may reach appropriate agreements with its partner institutions regarding graduate enrollment limitations through the execution of appropriate memoranda of understanding.
2 This Policy takes effect immediately. The registration provisions of the Policy take effect with graduate course registration for the 2017 Spring Semester. Appropriate accommodations during the initial implementation of the Policy may be made for individual students with the permission of the Provost (or Provost’s designee). Consultations with the College’s partner institutions in the offering of joint certificate and degree programs (i.e., The Citadel, Clemson University) about the current Policy may result in Policy exceptions requiring the permission of the Provost (or the Provost’s designee).