Policy Definitions
Academic Adviser
A Graduate Faculty member assigned to an individual student who provides individualized advice that promotes intellectual discovery and helps guide the student to meet the student’s goals through the successful completion of the degree program.
Academic Home
The college or school with academic authority for a graduate degree program.
Adjunct
Appointments without remuneration
Administrative Home
The college, school, or other entity that provides administrative support and with administrative authority for the business operations of a graduate degree program.
Affiliate Faculty
Individuals whose primary responsibilities are non-academic, e.g., staff or non-academic administrator appointments
Blended Graduate Degree Program
A graduate degree program in which four or more courses but less than half are offered off-campus or online.
Chair of an Intercollege Graduate Degree Program
Member of the Graduate Faculty with ultimate responsibility and academic authority for a graduate degree program. The chair of an IGDP must meet the requirements for Head of a graduate program as stated in the Graduate Faculty Membership policy.
Child
A biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a person for whom the graduate student is standing in loco parentis and who is under 18, or over 18 and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Code
A taxonomic scheme that supports the accurate tracking and reporting of fields of study and program completions activity. CIP was originally developed by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). See CIP Classification of Instructional Programs for more information: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode.
Concurrent Degree
A second graduate degree (master’s only allowed) the student applies to pursue under this policy
Concurrent Degree Program
The second graduate degree program a student already enrolled in a home degree program applies to pursue concurrently with the home degree program
Culminating Experience
For the Ph.D. the culminating experience is a dissertation; For an M.A. or M.S. the culminating experience is a thesis or approved non-thesis option; For professional degrees, the culminating experience may take other approved forms, including but not limited to an internship, an exhibition, a production, a comprehensive examination, or a capstone course.
Culminating Project
A culminating experience completed at the end of a professional doctoral program that demonstrates the student’s mastery of the discipline and ability to practice the profession at the highest level of accomplishment
Director of Graduate Studies
(or Professor-in-Charge) Member of the Graduate Faculty who may be delegated responsibility for oversight and operation of a graduate degree program by the Head of the program. For graduate research degree (Ph.D., M.S. and M.A.) programs, must be a Category R member of the Graduate Faculty. For graduate professional degree programs, may be a Category R or Category P member of the Graduate Faculty. Responsibilities include signatory for all official paperwork submitted on behalf of the program to the Graduate School.
Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) or Professor-in-Charge (PIC)
Member of the Graduate Faculty who may be delegated responsibility for oversight and operation of a graduate degree program by the Head of the program. For graduate research degree (Ph.D., M.S. and M.A.) programs, must be a Category R member of the Graduate Faculty. For graduate professional degree programs, may be a Category R or Category P member of the Graduate Faculty. Responsibilities include signatory for all official paperwork submitted on behalf of the program to the Graduate School.
Dissertation
The dissertation refers to the final written product of the research doctorate. Future manifestations of the dissertation may take a different form, but will still be the final product of the doctoral research effort.
Dissertation (Co-)Adviser
Graduate Faculty member(s) principally responsible for day-to-day guidance of the student’s dissertation research and academic and professional development
Double-Counted Course
A course taken by either an integrated undergraduate-graduate (IUG) degree program student or a joint degree program student that fulfills a degree requirement for both the Graduate School degree and the undergraduate, law school / medical school degree, respectively.
Enrolled
Formally registered for classes. To be considered enrolled in a given semester, courses must appear on the student’s record for that term under "MY CLASS SCHEDULE" in LionPATH.
Extended Absence
An approved absence from studies that begins after the start of the semester, that is expected to last three weeks or longer.
Extended Absence with Course Drops
An approved absence from studies that begins after the start of the semester, is expected to last at least three weeks inclusive of the end of that semester, and in which the student in not expected to be able to complete their coursework. An Extended Absence with Course Drops is recorded in the student information system as a "Leave of Absence."
Extended Graduate Degree Programs
Programs that are extended from the University Park campus or other approved graduate center (Behrend College, Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies, Capital College, College of Medicine) to another University location.
Final Performance
The culminating experience for a DMA student
Fixed-Term I (FT-I)
Appointments that are full-time for at least six months, but with an ending date specified
Fixed-Term II (FT-II)
Appointments that are less than full-time, or full-time for less than six calendar months.
Fixed-Term Multi-Year (FTM)
Appointments that are full-time for a minimum of 36 weeks, but which have an ending date specified, and may exceed one year in duration, up to a maximum of five years for a single appointment. These appointments are renewable
Full Support Package
A full support package provides the minimum University stipend level as prescribed in policy GSAD-901 Graduate Assistants, tuition grant-in-aid at no less than the graduate assistantship/fellowship rate, and subsidy of the premium for the Penn State Student Health Insurance Plan, outlined under the Insurance Premium Subsidies section of the Student Affairs website, or a subsidy for an external health insurance plan as provided by an external funding agency.
Full-Time Student
A full-time student is defined by policy GCAC-501 Credit Load, which provides the minimum and maximum credit load per semester for a student to be completing full-time academic work in a graduate program.
Good Academic Standing for Continued Enrollment in the Graduate School
Successfully meeting all Graduate School academic standards: (a) enrolled full-time or part-time; (b) = 3.0 GPA; and (c) no missing or unresolved deferred grades.
Graduate Assistant
Graduate Assistants are graduate students enrolled in residence in a graduate degree program within the Graduate School and registered for the appropriate number of credits towards their Graduate School degree. Students appointed on a graduate assistantship receive stipend, tuition remission and a subsidy towards the premium for the Penn State Student Health Insurance Plan during an 18 week appointment.
Graduate Credit Certificate Program
A postbaccalaureate credit certificate program that contains at least half of its credits at the graduate level (500 or 800 level).
Graduate Degree Program
A postbaccalaureate degree program offered under the Graduate School that meet standards established by and is approved through the curricular review and approval process of Graduate Council. Graduate degree programs are listed in the Graduate Degree Programs Bulletin.
Graduate Fellow
Graduate fellows are degree-seeking graduate students in a graduate degree program within the Graduate School and registered full time. For the purpose of this policy, Graduate Fellow refers to students appointed on a graduate fellowship via Workday and receive stipend, graduate assistantship rate tuition/tuition remission and a subsidy towards the premium for the Penn State Student Health Insurance Plan for the duration of the appointment.
Graduate Fellowships
Graduate Fellowships (also referred to as “fellowships” in Graduate School documents) are highly prestigious financial support packages that typically include a stipend, tuition grant-in aid (GIA), and a subsidy for the Penn State Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) premium or an external health insurance plan as provided by an external funding agency. Fellowships may be derived from University funds, external funds or a combination. Graduate fellowship recipients do not have assigned service activities or responsibilities such as teaching or supporting the research of faculty projects, but may participate in teaching or research activities as a component of their degree requirements and/or professional development.
Graduate Program Head
Member of the Graduate Faculty with ultimate responsibility and academic authority for a graduate degree program. For departmental graduate programs, this may be the Department Head; for Intercollege Graduate Degree Programs it is a faculty Chair. In all cases the Head must be a tenure-line member of the Graduate Faculty.
Graduate Student Instructional Assistants (GSIA)
Graduate students formally assigned or informally requested to assist in the instruction of graduate-level courses.
Graduate Trainee
Graduate trainees are degree-seeking graduate students in a graduate degree program within the Graduate School and registered full time. For the purposes of this policy, Graduate Trainee refers to students who are appointed via Workday on a graduate traineeship and receive stipend, graduate assistantship rate tuition/tuition remission and a subsidy towards the premium for the Penn State Student Health Insurance Plan for the duration of the appointment, funded by an institutional pre-doctoral training grant.
Graduate Traineeships
Graduate Traineeships (also referred to as “traineeships” in Graduate School documents) are funded by training grants financially supported by agencies outside the University. Traineeships are intended to support specific student learning experiences in core curricular areas, professional development activities and/or research methodologies. Institutional training grant awards support selected students with packages that typically include a stipend, tuition subsidy, and a subsidy for the Penn State Student Health Insurance Plan premium.
Home Degree
The degree, in the home degree program, the student was admitted to pursue.
Home Degree Program
The graduate degree program into which the student was first or originally admitted.
Home Program Adviser
The student’s graduate adviser in the home degree program.
Immediate family member
A spouse, parent, sibling, or child of a graduate student.
Independent Contractor
An individual hired by Penn State to perform a non-routine activity. Per Policies AC80 and IP06, the individual may not be a current Employee of Penn State. Typically, an Independent Contractor faces the risk of loss as well as profit when providing such services, as opposed to an Employee who does not.
Intercollege Graduate Degree Program (IGDP)
A graduate degree program where academic governance is shared among faculty members from two or more colleges/academic units. While there are no strict limits, in a high-functioning IGDP: fewer than 50% of the faculty would come from any one department; at least 33% of the program faculty come from a different college than the majority; fewer than 50% of the students would have advisers from a single department.
Joint Degree Program
A formal program of study leading to conferral of a graduate degree from the Graduate School and either i) a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Penn State Law (PSL) or Dickinson School of Law (DSL), or ii) an M.D. degree from the College of Medicine. Existing graduate degree programs may establish a joint degree program upon review and approval by Graduate Council’s curricular review process and the curricular review process of the respective partner school. (Note: Joint degree programs are specifically related to the J.D. and M.D. degrees, and do not include other medical and law education degrees offered by PSL, DSL and the COM (e.g., the L.L.M., S.J.D., and M.P.A.S.).
Leave of Absence
A formally approved absence from studies for an entire semester. Leaves of Absence are distinct from Withdrawal and are formally recognized in the student information system. Students may return to their studies after a Leave of Absence without re-applying to the Graduate School and graduate program.
Major Graduate Program
The graduate program within which the student is pursuing their degree.
Major Program Member
Graduate Faculty member who is a member of and represents the graduate major degree program on the Ph.D. Committee.
Maximum Credit Load
The maximum number of credits a student can register for each semester without being required to request an exception.
Minor Graduate Program
For students pursuing a minor, the graduate program responsible for the graduate minor.
Minor Program Member
For students pursuing a minor, a Graduate Faculty member who is a member of and represents the minor program on the Ph.D. Committee.
Non-Degree Graduate Student
A student admitted to the Graduate School to take graduate courses who is not enrolled in a graduate degree program, a graduate credit certificate program, a postbaccalaureate credit certificate program, or a Pennsylvania Department of Education Certification program.
Non-Tenure-Line Faculty
Faculty members who are not tenured or on the tenure track.
Off-Campus Courses
Refers to graduate courses that are offered remotely from the site responsible for the class via any suitable technologies.
Off-Campus Degree Programs
Refers to graduate degree programs in which more than half of the course credits required for completion of the degree consists of off-campus courses, as defined above. Off-campus degree programs are offered at a non-University location (e.g., World Campus, corporate facility, school district, etc.), and include both programs delivered in a traditional face-to-face format and those delivered at a distance.
Option
An option is a distinct curricular specialization within a graduate major.
Outside Field Member
Graduate Faculty member responsible for broadening the disciplinary perspective available to the student and the Ph.D. Committee; must have a disciplinary expertise different from the student’s primary field of study.
Outside Unit Member
Graduate Faculty member responsible for providing the student and the Ph.D. Committee with a perspective on the dissertation research and other professional matters from outside the administrative unit of the Ph.D. Committee Chair(s) and Dissertation Adviser(s).
Parent
The biological, step or adoptive parent of the graduate student, or an individual who stood in loco parentis to the graduate student when the graduate student was a child.
Participating Academic Units
The colleges and schools with defined responsibilities for overall governance of the intercollege graduate degree program.
Pennsylvania Department of Education Certification Program
A program that prepares students to obtain Level I Instructional, Supervisory, Educational Specialist, or Administrative Certification issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) upon recommendation of Penn State University. Students with a baccalaureate degree may enroll as graduate students at Penn State to pursue a PDE certification alone or in addition to another credential.
Ph.D. Candidate
A Ph.D. student who has completed all requirements except the dissertation and final oral examination.
Ph.D. Committee (co)Chair
Graduate Faculty member(s) responsible for assuring that all Graduate Council standards and requirements relative to the Ph.D. degree are met and that any conditions set by the student’s Ph.D. Committee are fulfilled.
Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Program
A sequence, pattern, or group of courses (400-, 500-, and/or 800-level) or contact hours that focuses upon an area of specialized knowledge or information and is developed, supervised, and evaluated by the faculty members of the academic unit (i.e., department, program, etc.) offering the program.
Postbaccalaureate Credit Certificate Student
A student admitted to a certificate designated as postbaccalaureate is considered a graduate student.
Professional Doctoral Culminating Experience
A culminating experience completed at the end of a professional doctoral program that demonstrates the student’s mastery of the discipline and ability to practice the profession at the highest level of accomplishment. The format of the culminating experience will vary by program.
Professional Doctoral Degree Program
An integrated program of study combined with understanding of research literature to support application of knowledge to practice at the highest level, culminating in a project, portfolio, or performance that demonstrates expertise in professional practice. Students successfully completing a professional doctoral degree program are awarded the appropriate doctoral degree; professional doctoral degrees at Penn State include D.Ed., D.M.A., D.N.P., and Dr.P.H.
Program Coordinator
Staff-level appointment reporting to the Head of a graduate program, or to the DGS/PIC, who generally assists with managing graduate program operations. The Program Coordinator may not be involved in academic program functions, including admission decisions, academic advising, program approvals, etc.
Qualifying Examination Committee
A committee drawn from the Graduate Faculty members of the student’s Ph.D. program faculty charged by the Graduate Program head to administer the Candidacy Examination.
Quality Grade
Any grade (A, B, C, D, or F) which is used to distinguish the quality of a student’s scholarly achievement (see GCAC-401 Grading System).
Research Doctoral Degree Program
An integrated program of study combined with investigation of a significant problem, question, or issue in the discipline, culminating in the completion of an original scholarly contribution (in the form of a dissertation) that expands the frontiers of knowledge. Students successfully completing a research doctoral degree program are awarded Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree.
School Certifying Official
Individual(s) who are authorized by the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit enrollment certifications for students using VA education benefits.
Short-Term Absence
An approved temporary absence from studies, typically less than three weeks duration; required due to recovery from a minor illness, illness of an immediate family member requiring care by the graduate student, bereavement for the death of an immediate family member, or other similar, time-limited event.
Special Member
A member of the student’s Ph.D. Committee who is not a member of the Graduate Faculty of Penn State, but whose expertise and insights would provide substantial benefit to the student’s dissertation research and the Ph.D. Committee.
Special Signatory
A Special Signatory is a person who is not a member of the Dissertation Committee but is otherwise qualified, has particular expertise in the student’s research area, and is engaged only to evaluate the student’s dissertation. Special Signatories do not have to be affiliated with Penn State.
Standing
Appointments that are full-time, but with no ending date specified.
Summer Tuition Assistance Program/ Summer Tuition Assistance
The Summer Tuition Assistance Program (STAP) is designed to provide tuition assistance to graduate students enrolled in a degree program in the Graduate School who have been appointed through the University on graduate assistantships, fellowships, or traineeships for both the preceding fall and spring semesters, so that they can continue graduate studies towards their Graduate School degree during the summer. While receiving Summer Tuition Assistance, students are not appointed as graduate assistants or trainees; students may be appointed as fellows and be eligible for STAP if tuition is not covered by their fellowship. Summer Tuition Assistance is administered by the Graduate School in coordination with academic colleges and campuses.
Tenure-Line Faculty
Faculty members who are tenured or on the tenure-track.
Thesis
A thesis refers to the final document of a research master’s degree.
Travel Safety Network
The Travel Safety Network (TSN) at Penn State is a database and network of resources to support international engagement across the institution and enhance the safety and security of University travelers.
Unit Leader
Individual to whom a University employee reports for their primary appointment.
University Affiliated International Travel
Any travel by graduate students to an international destination which is for educational, research, or business purposes tied to the traveler’s affiliation with the University. This includes travel by groups affiliated with the University, such as Recognized Student Organizations, and travel to professional conferences/meetings regardless of the funding source including if the University travelers’ costs are paid for by an outside organization.
University Affiliated Student Group International Travel
All international travel outlined in Policy FN20, as well as international travel by Recognized Student Organizations which includes at least two students. This includes travel to professional conferences/meetings, even if paid for by an outside organization.
Withdrawal
Dropping of all courses for which a student is registered in the absence of a formally approved Extended Absence. To resume his or her studies, a withdrawn student must reapply for admission, and be approved by the graduate program and the Graduate School.
World Campus
Penn State World Campus is the centralized online delivery unit of Penn State that works with academic units and colleges to deliver undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs online to learners at a distance.