GCAC-205 - Concurrent Offering of Graduate and Non-Graduate Courses

Academic Goal

Due to the dissimilar academic expectations characteristic of graduate and non-graduate courses, offering such courses concurrently to graduate students and to undergraduate, medical, or law students will likely not meet the pedagogical needs of either group.

Purpose

This policy prohibits the simultaneous offering of graduate courses (500- and 800-level) and non-graduate courses in the same classroom.

Scope

This policy applies to all graduate programs.

Background

: Graduate Council raised concern that the offering of courses concurrently to graduate students and to undergraduate, medical, or law students may not meet the pedagogical and academic needs of either. For example, in the case of concurrent undergraduate and graduate courses, the course is often taught at either an undergraduate level (thus not challenging graduate students) or at a graduate level (thus overwhelming and confusing undergraduates). Council wishes to ensure that graduate students receive a graduate-level experience in 500- and 800-level courses taken. Procedures already are in place for undergraduates to take 500- and 800-level courses, as are procedures for graduate students to take a limited number of 400-level courses to apply to their degree program. Additionally, graduate students are not prohibited from registering for independent study (596 or 896) in order to take 400-level coursework with additional requirements imposed for graduate credit. Graduate students also may register, with permission from the respective professional school, for 700- and 900-level courses.

Policy Statement

Graduate Council prohibits the simultaneous offering of graduate courses (500- and 800-level) and non-graduate courses (i.e., undergraduate, medical education, or law) courses in the same classroom.
1. Special exceptions may be considered by the Dean of the Graduate School.
2. Under no circumstances will exemptions be granted for concurrent offering of any undergraduate course below the 400 level with a graduate-level course.

Process

Graduate programs that wish to offer graduate (500- or 800-level) classes simultaneously in the same room with any other class at the 400 level or higher must obtain an exemption to this policy from the Dean of the Graduate School.
1. In certain circumstances, the Dean of the Graduate School will approve requests for exemptions to this policy for 500- or 800-level graduate courses to be offered concurrently with either 400-, 700-, or 900-level courses, if the graduate program can document that there are strong pedagogical reasons for leaving these classes together, and that the elements of graduate education will be retained for the graduate students in the class.

Procedures

P1 - Concurrent Offering of Graduate and Non-Graduate Courses

Legal Statements