Graduate Degree Programs
It is each student's responsibility to know or seek out as needed the regulations and pertinent procedures of the Graduate School as set forth in the Graduate Degree Programs Bulletin and in the Thesis Guide and to meet the standards and requirements expressed by these regulations. The Graduate Bulletin is available online at www.psu.edu/bulletins/whitebook; the Thesis Guide is on the Thesis Office Web site at: forms.gradsch.psu.edu/thesis/thesisguide.pdf.
Graduate students are encouraged to contact the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services, 114 Kern Building (814-865-1795), for guidance if they have any questions, uncertainties, or difficulties concerning any procedure or regulation of the Graduate School or any procedure or regulation of the University as it may affect them.
In addition, all programs should have a graduate handbook, which provides students with information on specific program requirements and procedures from admission to degree completion (i.e., arrangement of courses in accordance with degree requirements including required courses and typical elective courses; appointment of advisors and/or committees; responsibilities of the student, advisor and committee; scheduling of exams; assistantship duties; etc.).
A graduate student who fails to maintain satisfactory scholarship or to make acceptable progress in a degree program may be dropped from the University. One or more failing grades or a cumulative grade-point average below 3.00 for any semester or session or combination of semesters and/or sessions may be considered as evidence of failure to maintain satisfactory scholarship. Action may be initiated by the department or committee in charge of the graduate major or by the chair of the student’s doctoral committee. The procedures to be followed in such action are found in Appendix III in this bulletin.
The Pennsylvania State University collects and retains data and information about students for designa-ted periods of time for the express purpose of facilitating the students’ educational development. The University recognizes the privacy rights of individuals in exerting control over what information about themselves may be disclosed and, at the same time, attempts to balance that right with the institution’s need for information relevant to the fulfillment of its educational missions.
The University further recognizes its obligation to inform the students of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1978 (FERPA); to inform students of the existence and location of records as well as to define the purposes for which such information is obtained; to provide security for such material; to permit students access to, disclosure of, and challenge to this information as here- in described; and to discontinue such information when compelling reasons for its retention no longer exist.
Student Record Policy---No information from records, files and data directly related to a student shall be disclosed by any means (including telephone) to individuals or agencies outside the University without the written consent of the student, except pursuant to lawful subpoena or court order, or in the case of specifically designated educational and governmental officials as required by FERPA. Information contained in such records may be shared within the University by University officials with “legitimate educational interest” in such information.
A more complete description of the University’s policy on confidentiality of student records, including educational records and alumni records; disclosures to students, third parties, agencies and parents of dependent students; and challenges to entries, is contained in Policies and Rules, which is available at departmental and deans’ offices.